


Out of the Blue

by Stuart James (Stoob)



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-08-22
Updated: 2017-04-03
Packaged: 2017-12-24 07:22:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 40
Words: 49,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/936988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stoob/pseuds/Stuart%20James
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shorties and oneshots of the Mass Effect Universe and beyond.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Shepard returns to the ambassadorial bar to give Nassana Dantius the news about her sister, passing the office of Executor Pallin. As usual, the Executor's door automatically swishes open and he looks up from his desk to just catch someone passing, feeling the draught from the doorway rush against his face.

"That's it!" Pallin shouts with a bang of his fist on the desk, then frantically presses at buttons on his console.

"Presidium maintenance?" a voice comes over the console.

"I need someone to come and fix this damn door! Opening. Shutting. Opening. Creating a draught. It's driving me to distraction!"

"Ah, Executor Pallin. Didn't we come out to you last week, sir?"

"Yes. Whatever they did didn't work. Again." Pallin's voice is filled with tired annoyance.

"The P5-X door sensor is galactic standard, sir. It's already on it's lowest sensitivity setting, and I believe Watts hotwired his own circuitry in there to lower it further. We tried replacing the door with to a manually operated, but the Keepers just came along and changed it back. There's not a lot more we can do in that location, sir. The through traffic to and from the ambassadorial bar is just unavoidable."

"Bah!" Pallin closes the channel with a heavy hand. The door opens once more as Shepard passes by again.

"Curse you!" Pallin shouts as he stands, shaking his fist.

Shepard leans back to pop her head around to see who is shouting.

"Uh. Me?" she asks, confused.

"Oh. Shepard. No. The door. It's overly sensitive. Never mind. Carry on."

He straightens his body to a military stance before sitting back down in his chair, attempting to regain some composure.

"Oh yea. I can see how that'd be annoying." Shepard says, now mock assessing the door.

"Indeed."

"Opening and shutting all day."

"Yes."

"Creating a draught..."

"Hmm."

"Sitting here all day, 'Oh is that a visitor? No, it's just someone going to the bar. Again.' That'd get really annoying after a while."

"Please, Commander. Don't let me stop you from whatever important business you are no doubt conducting at the moment."

"Indeed. Some of us worry about doors and some of us worry about the fate of the galaxy. See ya, Executor, good luck with your door."

Shepard continues on her way and the door shuts, the Executor further enraged by her facetious comments. A moment later the door opens again and Shepard stands there with a wicked grin.

"You're right. It is really sensitive."

Then she runs off like a naughty schoolgirl, with Liara laughing from down the corridor.

"Gah!" the Executor exclaims.

...

"Auto-turrets?"

"Executor!" Councillor Tevos admonishes, sitting at her desk in the asari ambassadorial suite.

"It'd stop the Keepers from 'fixing' it at least."

"Really, Executor. We do not have the time right now to be reallocating offices. You will just have to make do. Once the Saren and geth threat is under control, we can re-visit your request. I am sure that you understand that the current threat outweighs a little inconvenience such as this."

"For thirty years I've dedicated my life to C-Sec and the safety of the Citadel and I have to sit in a draughty office, with a malfunctioning door next to a bar. Bah!"

"Do not demean yourself, Executor. Do you really think such things important? All the species of the Citadel respect you. Was your opinion not sought during the investigation into Saren and many times before? And now you wish for an ivory tower to conduct your work from?"

"Not if it's a draughty one with a faulty door..."

"Executor!"

"Yes, yes." he says, annoyed that he cannot disagree with the asari councillor and that it is becoming evident he is not going to get his way. "I suppose I'll return to my office then."

"I am sorry but there is nothing I can do right now."

A slightly unhinged look comes across the Executor's face.

"You don't know what it's like. Sitting there, the door opening, shutting, the draught chilling my face each time, always wondering if it's actually a visitor, only to be disappointed as drunk privileged ambassadors fall past my doorway, it's... maddening..."

Tevos walks around her desk and places her hand on his shoulder, his head now dropped as he stares at the floor.

"When did you last take any leave, Executor?"

"What? I haven't taken any leave since... I don't know."

"Then I think it is high time you do, don't you?"

"Hm. It has been a while since I visited Palaven..."

"Excellent. Do you have family on Palaven?"

"But with everything that's going on, Saren, the geth, I can't just go on holiday!"

"Oh I am sure we can survive for a couple of weeks."

"Couple of weeks? I was only planning a couple of days."

"However long, just forget about the Citadel for a while. Chellick is quite capable of filling in."

"Okay then. Thanks, Councillor. I've just a couple of things to do before I go."

"Of course. And I hope you have a pleasant trip."

...

As Pallin walks up the final few steps back to his office, two maintenance engineers are packing up their equipment outside his door.

"What's going on here?" he enquires.

"We've had another go at your door, Executor. Got the sensitivity way down now."

"Ah, excellent."

Their equipment gathered, the engineers head off down the corridor. Pallin walks to his door, which remains shut. He steps back and forth a few times then waves his hand at the sensor. Nothing. He sighs and his head lowers, then turns to head into the bar.


	2. Chapter 2

The krogan Peshiah waits in the reception area, he paces up and down, now a familiar and happy sight since Shepard and Mordin cured the Genophage. Mordin's sacrifice is recognised by all the krogan and a popular name for the first born among them. Krogan that would once have been thrown into battle have now been encouraged by Wrex to study medicine, to help with the ongoing surge in births and population. Things have come far enough that krogan have even begun to pair again.

Peshiah is an engineer, previously one of the less respected roles in krogan society. He hopes to guide his child to build. Not weapons or devices of mass destruction, but architecture, infrastructure, to look to the future and build a better world for all.

Peshiah and his mate, Kunzen, have planned their lives, even agreeing to cohabitate after the birth like a proper family. A family not driven by war or hate, but by the desire to grow, to bring up their child in a world where knowledge and wisdom reign, not combat and division. Kunzen could not wait to nurture, to dote, to be an attentive mother. To bring a life into a world that has a future.

The wonderful sounds of infants crying carry down the corridors, until broken by a gut wrenching moan from within the maternity ward. A krogan medical assistant exits the ward.

"I... I'm sorry, Peshiah, the... I'm so sorry, the infant was still-born. We did all we could."

"What? But... the genophage..."

"This was natural. I'm sorry."

Kunzen exits the ward, unsteady on her feet. Peshiah rushes to her.

"You need to rest, you've only just been through..."

"Rest matters not, for what do I need rest?" she responds, as though not in the same reality, continuing out of the hospital.

"Kunzen?" Peshiah calls after her. "Kunzen? Please..."

He knows her intent. This is a sight that the krogan hoped never to see again, a female walking into the desert to die. This seems even worse than before, the assurance of the cure and their noble plans destroyed by this terrible natural event. Natural death in labour is something the krogan must accept in time, but to be the first, to have hope ripped away when all around are joyous is too much to bear.

Peshiah runs to catch up with her.

"Kunzen? Please, don't do this."

"I lost many children to the genophage and stayed strong despite my heartache with every child born dead. But with each pregnancy I knew that was a possibility, I could prepare. This time, I hoped... I thought it would be... I cannot be strong this time."

"But what of us?"

When the females had begun to return to the cities, no longer fearing the brutality of those who wished to mate, Peshiah and Kunzen had found each other. They had talked, laughed and after some time even tentatively declared love for each other.

"I am sorry but I cannot."

"But I... I still want to be with you. I love you!"

She lowers her head as an apology then continues walking.

Peshiah stands for a moment, helpless, watching his love walk to certain death, until he lets out a long, desperate wail.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's music night on the Normandy SR-1

The Normandy squad sit around the dinner table of the crew deck. Verity Shepard is shaking a small plastic container with small balls of paper in it. She stops shaking, then pulls one of the paper balls out and unravels it.

"Yes!" she says with a fist pump. "Our first music night theme is... Earth!"

"Ooh!" Liara says. "I like Earth music."

"Can't wait to hear what everyone comes up with for this." Ashley says.

"Tsk, music night." Wrex gripes. "Can't we do combat styles from around the galaxy instead?"

"Wrex." Shepard sternly says, her tone enough.

"Okay, okay. It's just music was never really my thing. Or anyone's on Tachunka for that matter. Too busy fighting to survive. We used to have a musical culture in the past, but all that's been lost over time."

"And now you can bring it back!" Liara enthuses.

"Hehe, nice idea, Liara, but we'll see how that goes."

"Okay then." Shepard says. "For tomorrow night, everyone finds a piece they like and want to share. Nothing too recent that we'd all know already."

...

Ashley stands eagerly over the console in the crew deck canteen.

"Host planet goes first I believe, so who then? Me? Shepard?"

"Go on, Ash, you're obviously more desperate than me." Verity says.

"Great. Here we go then."

Ashley presses play on the console then stands back. A soft piano drifts across the canteen.

"Really Ash?" Verity says.

"Hey! This is a stone cold classic."

_Why do birds, suddenly appear_

"It sounds quite nice." Tali says.

_Every time, you are near?_

"Wake me up in a minute." Wrex moans.

_Just like me, they want to be_

"Philistines the lot of you. Except Tali. Thank you, Tali." Ashley says.

_Close to you._

Liara sits with a smirk on her face.

"Yes, Liara? Something to say?" Ashley confronts.

Unable to contain it any more, Liara bursts out laughing.

"Oh Ashley, you big softy. I would never have thought the gung-ho Gunnery Chief Williams would be so..."

"Yes?"

"Sentimental." Liara tempers her ridicule.

"It's just a good song."

"Oh, Ash. You are the mushy one in secret aren't you?"

"Hey! What's this? I thought we agreed: no mocking our choices."

"Come on, Ash." Verity says. "You have to admit, it is a surprise."

They listen to the rest of the song and Garrus steps up.

"Shall I go next?"

"Sure, let's hear what you've got." Shepard says.

"I like experimental sounds."

After pressing play, Garrus sits in an almost meditative state. Machinery bangs and clangs over the system, then bangs and clangs some more. What sounds like a hammer hitting metal joins the melee of sounds.

"It's German 'avant garde' apparently." he says, listening intently.

"This is quite interesting." Tali says.

"Hardly a surprise from a machinist, Tali." Ashley says.

"So I like machines and technology. It comes with being Quarian, we've always been close to our technology, almost symbiotic. I have a theory that that was part of the problem with the geth, we were worried we'd start to lose where we ended and the technology began. Afraid we might take that final step to full assimilation and lose our humanity. It must have been considered back then with the advances at the time."

"That's quite insightful, Tali." Liara says, appreciative of Tali's interest in history and culture compared to her prothean studies.

"Part of the reason I was so interested in salvaging that geth that got the data on Saren. I wanted to see if there were any remnants of our past."

"Hmm, if compared to organics, emotionally primitive forms of life lash out if afraid or feeling threatened. I wonder if it was like that for the geth. Like newborns but with powerful bodies, their parents trying to kill them."

"Stop it."

"What? Oh, I..."

"The geth are not organics, they are AIs. Machines built to perform a task. Have no sympathy for them, they have none for you. The only reason they started pondering their existence is because they only had us to compare themselves to. But there is no comparison, they have no other purpose than that which we give them."

"I did not realise that you were so... I did not mean to offend you, Tali."

"That's okay, Liara. The subject of the geth is quite contentious for a quarian. This music reminds me of the geth, relentless and ominous."

The banging and clanging music stops as abruptly as its starts, and Garrus sighs.

"Brilliant. Glad you appreciated it, Tali." he says.

"How do you find this stuff? Must be a nightmare sifting through all the data banks." Wrex says.

"I'm patient."

"Ha! Well I've gone for easy."

Wrex walks over to the console, hits his track, then back to his seating position. Lively violins dance around the speakers.

"Go straight for the classics, I say. Can't be disappointed then, surely. This represents the Earth season of 'Spring' apparently. I thought it sounded nice enough."

Most of the table look at Wrex in a bored manner and some disbelief.

"Wrex..." Verity says, "you never have to contact banking establishments do you?"

"Uh, not often. Why?"

"Because every time they put you on hold to speak with a manger to authorize a perfectly simple transaction after patronising you for the previous half hour, they play this damn music! God only knows how it circulated the galaxy so quickly."

"Alright, fine, I'll do my research better in future. Go on, Shepard, you next."

"You sure, Wrex?" Ashley says. "The Commander's taste in music is awful."

"Ashley! Well this is the first track off an album that changed the face of rock."

"Oh no..." Ashley says as she realises what is coming, having heard that statement before.

A cacophony of electric guitars blast, joined by the singer's long falsetto note than descends into a full guttural scream. Fast paced intense drums set a heady pace for the dissonant chugging guitars. Shepard air-guitars to the music and Ashley holds her head in one hand, shaking her head.

"There she goes..."

"Eer... what's this song about?" Liara is almost afraid to ask, but curious about the unintelligible screaming and shouting purporting to be singing.

"It's about a concentration camp on Earth during one of the great conflicts of the twentieth century. They did terrible experiments on the prisoners."

"Why would someone write a song about that?"

"It's dark, horrible, disturbing. Exciting. Listen to those riffs!"

Yes, she was right to be afraid to ask.

"Hm. It is very loud and distorted."

"It's supposed to be!"

"I do not think I could listen to that for too long."

"It's a bit 'in your face', I have to agree." Tali says.

"But pots and pans being thrown around from Garrus wasn't? Sheesh, you're a tough crowd."

"Hey, that industrial track was poignant." Garrus says.

Verity is a little disappointed that no-one has taken to her music.

"Go on, Tali, you go next."

"Okay."

After a short introduction of banjo and guitar Ashley and Verity look at each other with disbelief, the singer begins.

_Hotdogs_

Shepard laughs immediately followed by Ashley.

_Armor hotdogs_

"Tali..." Verity can't get her words out for laughing.

_What kinds of kids eat armor hotdogs?_

"It's an old commercial, Tali." Ashley eventually manages to say.

_Fat kids, skinny kids, kids who climb on rocks_

"What do you mean? I thought we agreed we wouldn't mock each other's choices... but knowing that now does take the shine off it a little. I thought it sounded fun, that's all. A silly song about children eating armoured animals."

_Tough kids, sissy kids, even kids with chicken pox!_

Verity places her hand on Tali's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Tali. I didn't mean to upset you. And by the way, hotdogs aren't an animal, they're like a sausage. That's what the commercial was for, 'Armor' branded 'hotdogs'."

"Oh I feel really stupid now."

"You weren't to know." Liara supports. "And it did sound like a fun song."

"There's only you left now, Liara."

"Ahem." comes over the comm.

"Joker?"

"Yea, I've been listening to your poor choices. I can go with Slayer, but only for the guitars. I can feed my choice in from here when you give the nod."

"Sure, the more the merrier. Go ahead, Liara."

After a minimalist intro of voices, a subtly thudding dance track twists and turns around the speakers. Liara cannot help but start to sway her hips, tapping her hand on her thigh to the beat.

"It's funny." Shepard says. "This track could be played in any bar across the galaxy, and no-one would bat an eyelid."

"Yes. And it is nearly two hundred years old. I like the way it just twists and turns, meandering along softly. Ooh, wait, my favourite part..."

_Little fluffy clouds, little fluffy clouds_

"Aah, I love the way she says that."

"Yup. The Blue Angel's head is firmly in the clouds." Joker pipes in.

"Go on, Joker." the Commander reluctantly says.

A phasing rock outfit subtly beat out a rhythm, until the singer joins.

_I couldn't say where she's coming from,  
But I just met a lady named Dinah-moe Humm_

The music twists and turns in a lively jazz style, rising and descending in curious tones between phrases.

_She strolled on over, said "Look here, bum,_  
 _I got a forty dollar bill says you cant make me cum._  
 _You just can't do it."_

"Joker?" Verity says in exasperation.

_She made a bet with her sister, who's a little dumb,_  
 _She could prove it any time all men was scum._

"Joker!"

_I don't mind that she called me a bum,_   
_But I knew right away she was really gonna cum._   
_So I got down to it._

"Joker, stop this damn track."

_I whipped off her bloomers and stiffened my thumb,  
Applied rotation on her sugar plum..._

The music stops.

"But it's Zappa!" he cries over the comm.

"Do I have to screen your choices?"

"Aw that's tame, man."

"I was interested to see where that was going." Garrus says.

"Yea, it wasn't so bad. We're all grown ups here." Ashley agrees.

"Well anyway." Verity says, covering up her prudish stance. "I think we can call this evening a success?"

"I enjoyed the little window into you all through music." Tali says.

"Yup!" Ashley says. "It just confirms what I already knew: you're a bunch of loons. Especially Shepard."

"I don't think we needed musical representation to know that, Ash." Verity agrees.

"Well, boys and girls, I'm going to hit the hay. See you all tomorrow."

"'night, Ash."

Ashley walks toward the elevator whistling the Armor Hotdogs tune for Tali's benefit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For thems whats interested, the tracks were:
> 
> Ashley – 'Close To You' by The Carpenters
> 
> Garrus – no particular track or band in mind, just general German industrial
> 
> Wrex – 'Spring' from Vivaldi's Four Seasons
> 
> Shepard – 'Angel of Death' by Slayer
> 
> Tali – 'Armor Hotdogs' jingle
> 
> Liara – 'Little Fluffy Clouds' by The Orb
> 
> Joker – 'Dinah-Moe Hum' by Frank Zappa


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fulfilling days destroyed in a short conversation

Rila and Falere run down the beach back towards their sister and mother.

"You'll never beat me!" shouts Rila.

Rila arrives back at the family first, falling dead tired onto the sand, closely followed by Falere with sand spraying all over the area.

Mirata lowers her sunglasses to look over them with a little disgust, "Tsk, watch it!", then returns to reading.

"Will you come swimming, mother?" Falere asks.

"Please, mother!" Rila joins.

Samara rises from her beach towel and straightens her swimming costume around her athletic body, the result of years training and exercising.

"Are you coming to swim with your sisters, Mirata?"

"I wouldn't be seen dead." Mirata says without looking up from her datapad.

"A simple 'no' would suffice. But very well."

The two girls always feel proud walking with their elegant mother along the beach. She is quite the local celebrity due to her prowess on the skyball team. Mirata thinks she seeks more from life, always searching for new ideas and philosophies. She is rarely to be found without some new tome of art and literature, essays and debate. She certainly likes to think she is a cut above her simple siblings. Her maiden stage cannot come soon enough so she can get out on her own and explore all the mysteries of the galaxy.

As she reaches the water's edge, Samara wades in to hip height then dives forward with barely a splash as her body cuts into the water. The two younger sisters run into the water, splashing and laughing then swim to try and catch up with their mother who is already powerfully moving through the water.

...

"Mother! Please, do not go! I am frightened, mother!" Falere calls after Samara while the officials hold her back, clamping biotic dampening cuffs on her.

"I still love you, mother!" Rila calls through choked tears as she is manhandled into a side room of the temple.

Mirata allows the officials to do what they need to, already looking for her escape.

The pain in Samara's heart is too much to bear. Her beautiful daughters, labelled monsters by the disease that is not their fault. The sound of her daughters' pleas hurts her greatly, she so wants to just pick them up and hug them, take them somewhere nice and treat them, but this is no longer something that will ever happen again. As she reaches the door, Samara turns to look back, lowering her head in submission, indicating to her daughters that this is not something she wants, then leaves.

The three sisters sit in the side room, left alone for a moment by the temple officials. The two younger siblings sit together while Mirata sits apart.

"I am not going to let this happen." Mirata states firmly.

"What do you mean, Mirata?" Falere asks.

"Oh my simple little sister, what do you think I mean? I'm getting out of here the first opportunity that presents itself."

"But... that is dangerous. What if you start to..."

"Get urges?" Mirata interrupts.

Falere looks at the floor with a worried look. She is afraid of the feelings that might come with her condition. As a timid child, she has no desire to harm.

"Well if that's what nature intended, so be it. I'm not letting some religious zealots dictate my life when it's barely got started."

"What about mother?" Rila says. "Think about what it would do to her."

"Oh yes. Our virtuous mother. She just dumped us here and walked away. If she really cared, she'd still be here."

"You know it is not like that. She had no choice."

"The moment she found out about us, she was already formulating her escape to get away from us."

Falere's bottom lip quivers, she breathes erratically, trying to muster the strength to speak.

"Mother still loves us. I know."

"I will look after you, Falere, I promise." Rila comforts, trying to stay strong for her younger sister.

"Well I'm looking after number one. You two can rot in whatever temple they imprison you in."

"Mirata!"

"If you two want to be victims, go for it. But I'm not going to allow that to happen to me!"

"I do not want to be a monster..." Falere says, finally releasing her tears.

"Look what you have done now, Mirata! Come on, Falere, at least we will still have each other."

"But I wanted to go to Serrice University to study medicine. To help people. Now they say I am only good to hurt and kill. I do not want to hurt anyone, Rila."

"I know, Falere, I know. If we do get those 'urges', they said the temple can help us."

"You two are pathetic."

...

Samara returns to the family home, every piece of furniture, fixture, fitting, ornament, decoration, all of it, reminding her of her daughters. She heads down to her basement exercise room to vent some of her feelings. She punches the punch bag, then again, and again, until she is hitting with all her might. With a mighty scream she adds biotic power to a punch, the force breaking the chain from which the bag hangs, sending it soaring across the room. She stands in her stance, breathing heavily from the exertion, then her arms fall limp by her side and she drops to her knees.

"I beg you, Goddess. Guide me in my darkest hour." Samara says into the air, then falls onto her hands in shuddering tears.


	5. Chapter 5

There's definitely something going on but Liara has yet to discover what. Clandestine meetings, conversations cut short when she enters, evasive looks from Verity, but for what reason she does not know. Normally if Liara needs to know something she can rely on her information network, but on this ship she is the Shadow Broker agent. Either way, to spy on her own lover and Commander? She can't, she wouldn't.

Liara enters the sick bay looking for Verity, and finds her with Doctor Chakwas and Mordin. They were talking but stopped when Liara entered. Verity looks upset, despite trying to hide it from Liara.

"Shepard? What's wrong? Are you ill?"

"No, not ill."

"I'll leave you to it. I am sorry, Shepard, really I am." Chakwas says with sympathetic tones. Liara is unsure of the sympathetic look she also receives from the Doctor.

Chakwas and Mordin exit the sick bay.

"Shepard?"

It is obvious to Liara that Verity has been crying, her eyes still a little red, the tear stains on her face still present.

"I didn't want to talk with you about this until I knew where I stood."

"About what? Shepard, you're worrying me."

"I'm a woman, Liara."

"Of course you are."

"All the talk of little blue children and the genophage cure made me think about my own body."

"How so?"

Verity almost speaks a few times, amidst sighs, huffs and puffs, still fighting further tears, until finally she is able.

"I want to be a mother."

"You mean a father."

"No."

"Oh."

"It's ingrained into us, it's like my womb is calling to me and I'm not getting any younger."

Verity strokes her stomach.

"Oh Shepard." Liara says sympathetically.

"I asked Doctor Chakwas and Mordin to research current technologies that have been developed so, you know, we could both have children with each other. But apparently, that's just not possible. Not the way our different physiologies work."

Liara sits next to Verity and holds her hand.

"I never knew you'd even thought about this. I thought we were happy as things are."

"We are. This doesn't change us, Liara. You're more important to me than this. I just feel... I don't know, incomplete as a woman, I suppose. The thought of giving birth and holding my baby for the first time... but that's never going to happen..."

Verity's tears begin again.

"Oh Shepard, I am so sorry. I don't know what to say."

"I don't think there's much anyone could say. I wanted to..." Verity's voice breaks up as she speaks. "have... children... of... my own..."

"They will be your children, no matter who gives birth."

"And I'll love our children with all my heart, no matter what."

Verity pauses a moment in thought.

"Am I being selfish?"

Liara strokes Verity's hair.

"No, of course not. It's completely understandable what you are feeling. I've seen how pregnancy changes people and how it changes those around them. It is quite beautiful. There is nothing wrong with wanting that. And as you said, your biology is telling you this is what you need."

"Thanks once again, galaxy." Verity says into the air.

"Verity... you know thinking like that is not healthy for you."

"I know. I just feel that sometimes..."

"We've talked about when you get like this, and you've talked with Doctor Chakwas too. You can't blame the galaxy every time things go wrong for you."

"Then why does it throw everything wrong with my life back in my face at every opportunity?"

"Shepard!"

"I know. I'm sorry, I'm just really low right now."

"I know you are upset right now but it's the worst time to think like that. Look where it's got you in the past. But I do wish there was something I could do."

"Hold me."

Liara wraps her arms around Verity and they just cuddle.

"Will we be okay?" Liara asks.

"Yea. I just have to accept this."

"Please don't be angry. You worry me when you get like that."

"I'm not going to do anything stupid."

"Good. But if you need to talk, please talk to me. Don't keep me out of things like this."


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liara hadn't coped well after the death of her mother and Shepard, her dark thoughts and doubts remaining even after their re-union. The stresses and strains of the Reaper War add to her already fragile state. Receiving ad-hoc counselling from the Huerta Memorial Hospital, Liara has been ordered off-duty by the Commander until her problems are under control.

The squad returns to the Normandy's shuttle bay after their mission securing a Cerberus facility and exit the craft. Liara immediately rushes to Verity.

"Oh you're safe. Thank the goddess!"

Joker has evidently been waiting with her but has a concerned look about his face as he returns to the cockpit. As Verity changes into her fatigues, Liara watches her intently then immediately links arms with her as they head to the CIC.

"Are you okay, Liara?"

"What? Yes. I'm just glad you got back safe."

"Hmm. Give me a minute, I just need to speak with Joker."

"Okay. I'll just be here waiting for you." Liara responds as they arrive at the galaxy map, watching Verity's every move.

"Hello, Specialist Traynor." Liara says, quite manically.

"Err... hello, Liara. Are you okay?"

"Oh yes. I'm quite fine, thank you. Are you?"

"Yes... I'm tickety-boo. Thanks."

Liara giggles.

"'Tickety-boo'! I like that."

"Eer... yes."

Verity reaches the cockpit.

"Hey, Joker."

"Commander."

"Has Liara been okay?"

"Honestly? No, not really. She's been quite panicky while you were down there, like you weren't coming back or something. She had me worried at times. She kept bugging me every five minutes for the mission status so I just went down to the bay and left EDI to it."

"Jeff was quite concerned for Liara. Not once did he engage in humour to diffuse the situation." EDI adds.

"That sounds serious. Thanks for keeping an eye on her. I'll see you later."

"Of course, Commander."

Verity returns to Liara and ushers her away from a bemused looking Traynor.

"What's going on?" she asks.

"Umm, nothing."

"Hmm. Doesn't seem like nothing."

"I'm tickety-boo, Shepard." Liara says with a wink to Traynor who is out of ear shot but can see that Liara is certainly not acting quite right. Verity knows that she is not a counsellor and does not have the skills to tactfully get to the bottom of this odd behaviour.

...

Verity does not like doing it, but feels she must speak with Liara's counsellor so heads to Huerta Hospital at the first opportunity.

"So, Commander," Fenaris says, "what can I do for you?"

"Sorry to drag you away from your work, but it's about Liara."

"You know I cannot discuss her treatment with you."

"No, no. I just wanted to speak with you about how she's been recently, maybe give you some insight into how she's been day to day."

"Hm, I suppose I can see no harm in that."

"Whenever I'm on a mission, or sometimes just when I'm not with her, she gets panicked, like she's going to lose me again."

"Hmm, I see."

"But when she came back from her session last week she certainly didn't seem herself..."

"Session last week?"

"Yea, when we last docked. She came to see you?"

"Sorry, Commander. We did have a session scheduled for last week, but Liara did not arrive. I assumed your work had prevented the session."

"Oh. Hm. Sorry to have taken up your time."

"Is there a problem do you think, Commander?"

Verity sighs.

"I don't know. I was hoping... well I don't know what I was hoping. Maybe that if you knew about this change in mood recently there was something that could be done. Now I'm concerned as to what she was doing during that time. She was gone for quite a while longer than your sessions would normally take and I presumed she'd just needed a little time to herself after it. But she has been distracted, edgy, sometimes tired and sometimes a little... well... manic. To be honest, very manic. I know you can't give me much detail, but how were your sessions going?"

"There has not been enough time for anything meaningful to take place. These things cannot be resolved in an instant. Well if you discover what is going on, I would appreciate to know why my patient is not arriving for her sessions. Our ad hoc arrangement is a favour to you, Commander. Remind Liara of that, please. There are many who need our help."

"Of course. I'm sorry about all this. Thanks a lot, really."

Verity wonders what Liara has been doing if not attending her sessions. She must now get to the bottom of this disturbing revelation.

...

Shepard darts out of cover to the next pillar unseen, then pops her head out to survey. Her target continues unaware of her presence and she walks quickly but silently, keeping her quarry in sight. Liara had boarded the Citadel, claiming she was headed to Huerta Hospital but as suspected by Verity, has again headed elsewhere. The chase has taken Verity to the lower levels, still in disrepair from the attack by Sovereign. It is a dark and squalid area with duct rats begging what they can from the meagre pickings available. Liara stops at a door with a batarian outside. A quick verbal exchange with the doorman and Liara enters. Now safe from Liara's eyes, Verity heads to the door, already guessing what this place probably is. The batarian holds up his hand to prevent her access.

"Password?" he asks.

"Let me in or I shoot your face off?"

"Oh. Err... Commander Shepard, isn't it?"

"Yes. Then you're probably aware that it's not a good idea to get on my wrong side and I'll warn you: I am not in the mood today."

"Okay, okay, in you go then. Wouldn't have thought this would be your scene anyway. Just don't shoot anyone, okay?"

"No promises."

Verity enters a dark corridor lit only by red emergency lighting with groups of various races sitting and lying around the floor, gathered around pillars. She sees Liara sitting alone on the ground, her back against a wall. Liara throws pill into her mouth and washes it back with a drink. A few moments later, her eyes widen and her back involuntarily arches as the drug takes effect, then she slumps back again as her body relaxes and her eyes close. Release.

Verity marches through the bodies strewn about this place, a furious look on her face. She grabs Liara by the arm to make her stand and drags her out of the den, Liara leg's barely able to hold her own weight.

"Verity! You're not supposed to be here. What are you doing here?" Liara says in a dream like state, grinning stupidly.

"I am so angry right now." Verity says, causing a laugh from Liara.

It is apparent there is no point trying to hold a conversation with Liara like this, so Verity just pushes her into the elevator to take them to the Normandy's dock. Liara leans back against the elevator wall then slides down onto her bottom.

...

The following morning Verity storms into Liara's room where she had dumped her on the bed.

"Hey! Wake up!" Verity shouts at Liara then grabs a foot to give her leg a good shake.

"What are you doing?!" Liara says as she awakens with a start.

"What am I doing? Liara, what the hell are you doing? I thought you weren't taking that... that... shit... any more?"

"Oh... Yesterday..." she responds, now coming out of her daze. "I..."

"And you've been missing your counselling sessions to do this?"

"I know, I know..."

"So? What the hell's going on?"

"I... you... we..."

"You better start to making some sense, Liara. I was shocked before when you told me about the hallex, but I could understand it in those circumstances. Now? This? I am so damn angry. Why, Liara, why?"

"I... I just can't cope when you're away on missions without me. When I was coming with you it was different. I knew what you were doing, that you were safe, that I could make the difference if I needed to. Now... I just worry so. It's unbearable."

"I should have seen something like this coming the way you've been recently. So you started taking hallex again?"

"Yes... I can just take it and forget about it all."

"That's not a solution, Liara. It won't stop you feeling like this in the long term. You need help and you were supposed to be getting it."

"Counselling. Tsk." Liara says with disdain. "It doesn't help. It just brings back up everything I don't want to remember. I thought it would be different with Fenaris but it's just the same. Dragging up every emotion and shortfall, putting it under the microscope to tell me what I already know, that I just can't cope any more."

"There is no quick fix for all this, it takes time. You haven't even given Fenaris a chance."

"You've been spying on me!"

"Ah no. You are not turning this around onto me."

"No... I'm sorry. I'll try harder, honestly."

"Well, I don't know what else to say. It's up to you. But I have to say, the current arrangement just doesn't seem to be working."

"No! Please, no. Don't... I couldn't face being alone..." Liara says with panic.

"What?"

"Please, I'll change. Don't leave me!"

"Oh Liara." Verity says in a softer tone. "That's not what I meant at all! I just meant the out-patient arrangement. Do you really think I'd just drop you like that? After everything I've said you still think that?"

"I... I don't know any more."

"Well you should know. How many times do I have to say it? I know I'm angry with you right now but I still want and love you, Liara. I just want to help."

"Then... what did you mean?"

"Maybe you need admitting to Huerta fully. It might take the worry out of watching me go off on missions all the time and hopefully stop the urge to go get stoned off your face. It'd also take the worry out of me as to what you're doing when you're supposed to be getting help. What do you say?"

"Oh, that just makes it so... final, so real."

"It is real, Liara. These problems are real. I thought that you'd admitted that to yourself."

"So did I, but..."

"But what?"

"I don't know. I'd always been in control. Independent. Shaped my own life. Since... well, meeting and losing you, that's all gone. I hate not being in control of my emotions, of my life."

"Maybe this is something you need to discuss with Fenaris rather than me. I want to help you, Liara, but I'm just not equipped to. Not with this."

"So you just want to abandon me on the Citadel and get rid of the problem?"

"Liara! It's not like that at all and you know it."

"Yes..."

"Give Fenaris a chance and please, lay off the hallex. For me?"

"Yes. I promise."

"But one other thing, Liara."

"Yes?"

"I tried to open your footlocker yesterday. You've changed the code. What have you got in there?"

"Nothing! I... I was... I just..."

"What's the code?" Verity demands.

"Oh... I... I'm not sure now..."

Without pause, Verity pulls out her side arm and shoots the lock off.

"What are you doing? Have you gone mad?"

"I'm not stupid, Liara."

Verity rifles through the chocolate items and pulls out a bag of pills.

"Oh. Those." Liara says guiltily.

"Nothing. You said 'nothing'. Now you're lying to my face."

Verity marches towards the exit.

"Where are you going with those?"

"To the waste disposal air lock. You're lucky you're not going with them." Verity says as she leaves without looking back.

"Oh. Oh! Fuuuck!" Liara screams shrilly then sits on the edge of her bed in tears. It is not so much the loss of the hallex but that she has failed herself and Verity so badly, that she lied, that the terrible, distressing feelings she has no control over won't go away. Verity is at her wits end. She so wants Liara to be well, to be happy inside, but is frustrated that this is all out of her hands. She can provide support but that's all. It's up to Liara to accept help and make it happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AU for 'Blue'. Couldn't do this in the main story, it just wouldn't work but I liked it.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sha'li is an OC from my main book 'Blue'. Saved by the Normandy squad from slavers as a very young asari during the Sovereign campaign, Sha'li eventually becomes Ashley's adopted daughter.

"I got a first, dad!" the asari shouts as she enters the home, then makes her way upstairs to the bedroom.

"That's great, Aethyta, really great. I knew you could do it." Shepard feebly shouts from her bed, her face aged by time and hair greyed.

Shepard's daughter Aethyta sits on the edge of the bed.

"How are you feeling today, dad?"

"I'm fine. I'm always fine. You lot just fuss too much."

"Come on, dad. You might be the invincible Commander Shepard to everyone else but to us, you're just our dad and you're not as young as you used to be."

"I can still use my biotics!" Shepard protests as a blue aura glows around her hand.

"Dad! Mum will have a fit if she sees you doing that. You know the doctors said using your biotics could be dangerous!"

"Shepard!" a voice shouts from the corridor.

"Oops!" Verity says to Aethyta.

"Who are you trying to impress, Shepard? Doing that could kill you in your condition."

"What condition? I'm old, that's all!"

Liara enters, looking the same as she has for decades.

"Anyway." Verity quickly changes the subject. "Didn't you hear? 'Thyta got a first!"

"Of course. Congratulations, Aethyta. I had no doubt you'd do it."

"Thanks, mum. Where's Felere? I haven't told her yet."

"Your sister is still at school, she'll be home soon enough. Looks like she's secured a place at Serrice too, I'm sure she'll tell you all about it."

"We got a stake in that college yet? I feel like we've assisted them half my life. If it wasn't for me and your mother, they certainly wouldn't have nearly as much prothean data as they do now. Did I tell you about that time when my squad was on Eden Prime..."

"Yes, dad. Only a million times. Zapped by prothean beacon, Reapers, yarder-yarder, galaxy saved."

"I risked my life for this kind of abuse?"

"Aethyta, can you please go to the T'Bau house and see if they have any Ice Brandy? I need some for dessert."

"Sure, be right back."

Once she hears the front door shut, Liara turns to Verity.

"Must you?"

"What?"

"The biotics. Really, Shepard. You don't need to show off."

"I'm not useless!"

"No-one says that you are."

"I'm going to miss so much, aren't I? Seeing the kids fulfil their dreams, grandchildren, all that."

"We knew these days would come and we knew it would not be easy. What about the last hundred years? Doesn't that mean anything?"

"Of course it does. It's just... jeez Liara, you look as good as the day I met you. Normally if a human says that they're just flattering, but with you it's true. I just didn't think it'd be this hard. I feel almost selfish."

"How so?"

"It makes my heart ache thinking about you all living your lives without me, carrying on as though I'd never been there."

"Shepard! We'll always remember and love you!"

"I still love you so much, Liara." Verity says, tears forming in her eyes. "I'm sorry I've been a burden these last few years. You're still young and I feel like I've taken some of that away."

"Don't say that. I'd do anything for you, Shepard, anything."

The doorbell rings.

"Are they early?" Shepard asks.

"Hm. I hope not. I've still plenty to do."

Liara glides down the stairs to the front door and opens it.

"Tsk. Look at her. Still hasn't changed a bit." Ashley grumbles as Sha'li assists the hobbling old woman into the house.

"Hi, Liara!" Sha'li says. "Sorry we're early but the traffic was almost non-existent, we made really good time. Well I can help you around the kitchen anyway."

"That would be great. How are you, Ash?"

"I'm old. What do you think?"

"Oh she's in one of those moods today is she?"

"'She'? I am here you know. It's alright for you and your asari genes. Us humans aren't so lucky."

"Is that old codger moaning again?" Verity shouts down.

"No more than you do, dear!" Liara shouts back up.

"Who are you calling an old codger, you old bat?"

"Do you want me to help you up to Shepard's room?" Sha'li asks.

"I can climb a few stairs, I'm not completely incapable yet." Ashley says, as she slowly begins to ascend the stairs.

"Mum! You're not supposed to use the stairs like that alone. It's dangerous with your balance now. Backwards, on your bottom like they showed you."

"I am not going up the stairs like some toddler."

"Then let me help you."

"Oh fine. If it'll stop you nagging me."

Sha'li assists Ashley up the stairs and they arrive at Shepard's doorway.

"You look terrible." Ashley says to Verity.

"No worse than you." Verity retorts.

Ashley sits in a chair, huffing and puffing, out of breath from the exertion of the stairs.

"I'll go and see if Liara needs any help. Will you two be okay here?"

"This isn't a creche, Li. We're not children. We'll be fine."

"Now, mum. When you want to come back down, please call me. Don't just try to get down the stairs on your own. Okay?"

"Hm!" is as much response Ashley provides and Sha'li goes back downstairs.

The two old women sit in silence for a moment, until Verity finally speaks.

"Aethyta got a first in her degree."

"Nice."

"Yup."

"Felere doing okay?"

"Yup."

"Good."

"Any news?"

"Not particularly."

"Hm."

"Well. At least we're not salarian." Ashley announces.

"What?"

"I was just saying, at least we're not salarian."

"I know. I just don't understand why."

"Oh. The asari thing."

"Is this supposed to be making sense?"

"The age difference. Tsk. At least we're not salarian."

"Oh I see. Yea. Me and Liara were just talking about that."

"About salarians?"

"No! The asari thing."

"What thing?"

"The age difference."

"Yea. At least we're not salarian."

...

"Eerrr... and what are you two doing?" Liara confronts Ashley and Shepard.

Ashley was helping Shepard put on her old N7 armour but they are now frozen, caught in the act.

"Oh! We were just... I wanted to see if..."

"And are you planning on going somewhere in that armour?"

"Not far... just to the wasteland over by the water refinery."

"Oh Shepard. You're not going to go shooting random objects again?"

"Me and Ash just wanted to, you know..."

"You two are insufferable. You're not squaddies any more, it could be dangerous to go shooting in your conditions."

"Then come with us. Like old times. Girl squad!" Ashley says, her enthusiasm in shouting the team's name causing a coughing fit.

"Oh yes. You're both in prime condition for a mission. It wouldn't be very effective for me to carry you from cover to cover."

"Are you okay, mum?" Sha'li now enters. "I heard you coughing badly."

"I'm fine! Quit fussing."

"Look what this pair are trying to do." Liara says. "They want to sneak out to go shooting."

"Mum! You are in no fit state to be handling powerful rifles, they could pop your shoulder out if nothing else."

Verity sits on the bed, tears rolling from her cheeks.

"I am not an damn invalid!" she shouts, banging her fist on the bed. "I'm a Spectre, N7 Class Officer, I am not a child! I'm old, I know! But if I want to go and shoot my gun, I'm going to go and damn well shoot my gun!"

Liara sits next to Verity and holds her hand.

"No-one said that you cannot do what you want. We just care and don't want you to get hurt by being silly."

"Stop patronising me!"

"Come on, mum. Let's get you downstairs." Sha'li says.

"But I've only just sat down again..."

"I think Shepard and Liara need a moment."

"Tsk. Fine. Help me up then."

Sha'li helps Ashley up and they go downstairs.

"Is this a continuation of our conversation earlier?"

"I don't know, I just wanted to do something like we used to. It's okay for you, you still get to go out into the field with your Shadow Broker work."

"Less and less these days, I can't just go off at the drop of a hat. I've you to consider."

"See? I'm a burden on you."

"Shepard! Stop being silly. Shall I help you out of that armour?"

"Hm. May as well, seems I won't be needing it."

"Come on then. Do you want to wear your dress blues for dinner?"

"That'd be something, I suppose."

Liara begins removing the armour components and dressing Verity in her uniform.

"I was going to wait until after dinner to announce this to you and Ash, but I think you need it now."

"Hm? What?"

"High command contacted me. You know that new frigate?"

"The SSV Tooting?"

"Yes. They want you to christen it on it's maiden voyage. And I'm sure they'll let you tour the ship, maybe have a look at the shooting range while you're there?"

"Hey! Ash! You hear that? We're going shooting on a frigate!"

"I hate space travel these days!" Ashley shouts back.

"You old grump! We'll get to shoot stuff and no-one can complain!"

Verity smiles at Liara.

"Thanks, Liara. And I'm sorry. I know I complain and get wound up in self pity. I don't mean to. It's just hard to be so damn incapacitated when it feels like the world around me has stood still or raced away, I can't quite work out which."

"I know this is difficult for you but try not to dwell on it. There. All dressed. You do still look good in a uniform, Shepard."

"Flatterer. Liara?"

"Hmm?"

"Can we cuddle and meld tonight? I just want to be with you as me. Not this old, wrinkly body."

"Oh, Shepard. Of course we can but you are always you to me."

"I love you, Liara T'Soni."

"And I love you, Verity Shepard. Let's go and eat eh?"

"Yea. And Liara?"

"Hm?"

Verity kisses Liara on the cheek.

"Thanks."


	8. Chapter 8

The shuttle lands on the barren planet. Two figures emerge. They walk slowly away from the craft then the larger figure stops.

"Here."

"Here?"

"Yes. I killed my own men, watched them bleed to be certain they were dead."

"Javik... That must have been... awful."

"It was necessary."

"Necessary or not, it must have been terrible."

"You were never a soldier, asari."

"No. But I did what had to be done when it needed doing."

"Indeed. That, I find admirable."

"Are you sure this is what you want? The Reapers are defeated, the galaxy is at peace, don't you want to..."

"I have achieved what I came for. I have no place here in your galaxy."

"Hmm."

"And what of you, asari? What will you do now?"

Liara pauses for a moment, her hands fidgeting.

"I... without Shepard, I can't... my galaxy is gone too."

"Oh?"

"I think I knew when I said I wanted to fly you here, but... I do not think I can do it."

"And you think I can?"

"I... thought that..."

"I am a soldier, asari, not a butcherer."

Tears fall from Liara's face at the prospect of living a thousand more years alone.

"Please... I can't."

Javik places his arm around Liara.

"You are sure that this is what you want?"

Liara slowly and sadly nods.

"Then I am ready. Are you?"

Her breath quickens as she nods again.

"Thank you, Javik."

Javik takes out his pistol and places it against Liara's head. He holds her firmly to counter her wincing. Her breath is erratic and short as she looks ahead, blinking quickly and eyes darting about as though seeing something in the wasteland in front of them.

"Goodbye, Liara T'Soni."

"Shepard..?"

The weapon fires. Javik releases Liara's limp body, letting it slump to the floor, then places the pistol to his own head.

"For the Empire!"

The weapon fires again.


	9. Chapter 9

Liara walks into Verity's quarters of the Normandy SR-1 and sits on the edge of the bed, fidgeting about. Verity just watches her for a moment, laying on her bed in a cropped vest top and knickers. She has noted that Liara rarely sits comfortably, always repositioning herself, adjusting her underwear. She leans over to her bedside draw to take out a pack of new cotton knickers, pulls a pair out and throws them at Liara.

"I dunno what the hell you asari make yours out of but try those."

"Oh, they feel soft."

Liara undresses down to her underwear, slips off her asari made knickers and pulls on the cotton ones. Feeling their elastic softness, she pulls them up tight, then loosens them slightly with her forefingers, sliding under the seam.

"By the goddess! What are they made from?"

"Cotton?"

"What's that? A compound?"

"No. It's like a plant fibre. It's weaved with rubber compounds to make them fit well. Nothing man-made comes even close."

"They're so snug and comfortable."

"What? Is cotton unique to Earth? There's nothing like it anywhere else?"

"Not that I've experienced. If I want comfortable underwear it has to be silk and you know how much of a pain that is. Do these launder easily?"

"Yea, just chuck them in the wash no problem. People fought and died over cotton in Earth's history."

"Mmm, I can see why."

Liara strokes her backside at the seam of the underwear.

"Well that's that then."

"What?"

"Once this is all over, I'm opening a double fronted shop on Thessia: Belgian chocolate one side, cotton underwear the other. I'll be a billionaire in no time."

"You know, Liara..." Verity kneels on the edge of the bed.

"Yes...?"

"The whiteness of those pants against your lovely blue skin..."

"Oh, I see now. This was all just a ruse to get me standing here in my underwear."

Liara pushes Verity back onto the bed and smiles coyly for a moment.

"Shepard...?"

"Yes..?"

"Can I ask something?"

"Of course, what?"

"Will you grow your hair for me?"

"You want to see me with long hair? I like it short like this." Verity says, tugging at her tufts.

"Oh. Maybe I am not being specific. Not many species have hair."

"Oh... I see... to be honest, Liara, it's not a pretty sight."


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Result of a thread/conversation on BSN about our various Shepards.

As she lay in her bed in her cabin, the flash in her head was painful, dark and nauseating. Commander Verity Shepard awakes in what appears to be a cell, basic and uncomfortable, wearing her N7 armour and side arm. The panel on the door of this room seems to be active and indicating its open status. After sitting a moment on the edge of the hard 'bed' to shake off the drowsiness, she stands and taps the panel. The door opens to what looks like a waiting or reception area with chairs and coffee tables scattered around. Verity pops her head out and looks quickly left then right. No-one in the immediate area. There is another door on the opposite wall. As she walks further into the waiting area the door opposite opens. Verity pulls her pistol from her hip and waits to see who or what is coming.

A familiar, yet not familiar figure exits, with dark hair and pale complexion, grabbing her own side arm upon seeing Verity. She also wears N7 armour.

"Identify yourself." Verity demands.

"Ditto." the woman responds.

"Commander Shepard, Council Spectre, Earth Systems Alliance Navy."

The woman's eyebrows raise then she smiles as she places her pistol back on her hip.

"Hm. Ditto again, it seems."

"What?"

"You did look kind'a familiar but... not... you know?" she says, now relaxing against a pillar, quite aloof.

"Hm." Verity reluctantly agrees.

"So who's gone mad then? Me or you? Which one of us is the figment of the other's imagination? Oh, Vanity Shepard, by the way. You?"

"Really? 'Vanity'? Our mother gave you that name?"

"Well. No. I changed it. What's wrong with Vanity? Better than that stupid pious name my parents gave me, whoever they were... 'Verity'... ugh..."

Despite trying to hide it, the hurt look on Verity's face gives her name away. She'd always liked her name; meaning 'truth'. Vanity sees the look.

"Oh. My. God. You're a 'Verity', aren't you?"

"What's going on? Why are we here?" Verity asks, changing the subject.

"Who knows... With everything that's been going on recently, I'm not really surprised that something like this has happened."

"I don't have time for this... whatever it is that's going on here. I need to get back to the Normandy, we're en route to Tachunka. The genophage needs to be cured!"

"What? Really? You're going ahead with that?"

"What?"

"Come on, that's just asking for trouble. You reckon Wreav is gonna just back down after the war is over? Nah, it'll be the krogan rebellions all over again. I'm not gonna let that happen."

"Wreav...? Wrex is the krogan in charge and I trust him with my life. He'll do the right thing. There'll be peace in the galaxy."

"Wrex? Urdnot Wrex? He died on Virmire."

"He died?"

"Yea, he wouldn't back down over the genophage cure Saren had developed so I had to kill him." Vanity says, mimicking a gunshot with her finger and a 'pop' with her mouth.

"Oh... I knew that might have been a possibility over the genophage but... I talked him round. Why didn't you?!"

"Aaah we didn't have time for that, Saren needed to be stopped. So I got that krogan out of the way, we set the ordinance and boom, job done."

"'That krogan'?"

"What? What's the big deal over some krogan merc?"

"You killed one of your greatest allies."

"Maybe yours is more noble but the Wrex I knew was a typical krogan killing machine. They're a blight on our galaxy, he said as much himself. No way I'm curing the genophage. I'm going to take the Dalatrass's advice and sabotage the cure. We could do with salarian support."

Verity just stands open mouthed at Vanity's words.

"I don't get this..." she finally says.

"What?"

"We're both Shepard but our lives are so different. The choices, the things we've done."

"Yea, well, I'm trying not to think about that. Whatever this is, I doubt we can understand it."

"Hm. Now I'm curious."

"About?"

"What else is different?"

"Brought up on Earth. I was an orphan." Vanity declares.

"Oh. No, I was brought up by my parents on the colony of Mindoir."

"How nice for you. Growing up on Earth as an orphan was hell."

"My parents were killed by slavers when I was around sixteen. It was no bed of roses living in the colonies."

"Anyway, so we had different starts. Curiosity satisfied?"

"Not really. I'm wondering about recent history, the reapers, Cerberus, all that."

"Why? Does it matter?"

"I don't know. I'm just curious."

"Well. After we stopped Sovereign and the new council was formed..."

"The what?"

"The new council?"

"Why is there a new council in your, ummm... dimension?"

"Okay, we'll go with that for now. There's a 'new council' because the 'old council' done did died in the Sovereign attack. Couldn't spare the fleets, needed to concentrate on Sovereign, yarder, yarder, new council!"

"You let them die?!"

"Hell yea! They never did anything for Earth, why should Earth do anything for them? Anyway, the new council was exactly like the last one. There's always replacements waiting in the wings for these bastards."

"There were thousands of lives aboard the Destiny's Ascension!"

"No human lives."

"I can't believe what I'm hearing. You sound like... Terra Firma or the Illusive Man!"

"Your point being?"

"You're not even offended by that?"

"Ugh... you sound like Doctor T'Soni..."

"'Doctor T'Soni'?"

"You do have a Doctor T'Soni in your crew?"

"Yea, but I call her 'Liara'."

"Hm. How familiar. Wait... did you... when she said...? You screwed her on the SR-1 didn't you?!"

"What? Don't be so crude!"

"I don't dig aliens so I batted her off when she made a pass. She's useful but a bit clingy at times, I try to keep her at arms length. Unfortunately," Vanity sighs, "Williams just doesn't swing that way."

"Oh..."

"What?"

"You're gay?"

"Yea. You're not?"

"No."

"But Doctor T'Soni?"

"She's not technically a woman."

"You tell yourself that, do you?"

"What? She's not."

"Yea. Whatever. You're gay. You're just in denial, hiding behind that 'she's not technically a woman' thing. She's got nice T'n'A, even I've noticed that."

"Are you always so blunt?"

"Do I always speak my mind, you mean? Yea. And while we're on the subject... you've never wondered then?"

"Wondered what?"

"Well. Here we are. Shepard and Shepard. You've never wondered what it'd be like to do yourself?"

"You're disgusting."

"I had to ask. Imagine it though. Me, you, Liara..."

"Just shut up, will you?"

A silence follows.

"Wonder why we're here?" Vanity eventually breaks the silence. "What's the point of shoving us two together? Are we here forever?"

"God, I hope not."

"So are you some kind of goodie-goodie hero lady or something?"

"I try to do the right thing. Such as saving the council..."

"You went to Noveria a few years back?"

"Yes..."

"Hm. Rachni run rampant in your dimension I presume then? What happened with that?"

"The rachni queen, you mean?"

"Yea."

"She's hiding away somewhere. She sent a kind of emissary, telling me she still intends to keep away from the rest of society."

"Really? Hm. Who'd of thunk it eh?"

"I suppose you killed her?"

"Yup. Melted right before my eyes. I erred on the side of caution. Seems I might have been wrong there but in the long run, who knows?"

"If we get a long run."

"Huh?"

"This still might be the end for us. The reapers are still here, we haven't won yet."

"Yea..."

"How is it for you? The war?" Verity asks.

"Not good. We're basically living on hope."

"Yea. Same here..."

Both reflect a moment on this and the incarceration preventing their work. While their assessments of each other would not be glowing, they see the tired desperation on each other's faces, the emotional scars of their lives thus far, no matter how different their paths to get here have been.

"This is frustrating!" Verity cries out as she bangs her fist against the wall.

"Okay, I'm going to work on one of these panels here. See if we can get somewhere and maybe some answers."

Before Vanity is able to reach a panel, the same painful flash that brought them here releases them back to their own cabins.

...

"Hey, Liara."

She was working on her console in the XO's office but Liara gives her full attention when her commanding officer enters.

"Hello, Commander Shepard. Rather informal of you today? Not that I mind. Do you wish to discuss any information I've amassed?"

"Um... no. Just came to er... chat."

"Oh. Well. What do you want to chat about, Commander Shepard?"

"I don't... know... but... regardless, at ease, Liara, and you don't have to keep calling me 'Commander'. You're not actually Alliance."

"Okay then, 'Shepard'." Liara beams, never dreaming that Shepard would be so personable with her.

"I'm interested in asari culture..."


	11. Chapter 11

"Echo!"

"Ash!" Tali admonishes.

"What?"

"I don't know. Just seems... disrespectful."

"Sorry. Just always thought there was good acoustics. Let's get some light in here." Ashley says, fumbling for the panel. "Here we go."

Light fills the apartment and they stop and stare, speechless a moment; the apartment does not seem to have changed at all. What to do with her apartment in the wake of Shepard's sacrifice to end the cycles was low down on the list of priorities so has sat empty since. Liara enters, creating a moment of apprehension in Tali and Ashley at her upcoming reaction.

"I don't know if this was such a good idea now." Liara says, her voice slightly broken.

"Come on, Liara." Tali encourages. "It'll be good to see the old gang."

"But here? This was where we... before..."

Liara looks to the piano in the corner then slowly walks to it to tinkle the only tune she knows how to play. She completes just a few bars and goes to the large windows, opening the blinds as she looks at the hustle and bustle of Silver Sun Strip below.

"Do you think they appreciate what we did? What Shepard did? Do you think they even care any more?"

"Liara..." Ashley says.

"Sorry."

Liara turns away from the window then stops with a sharp inhale, startled by something she sees. Ashley looks to what has stunned her so. The hooded top that Shepard had irreverently slapped an N7 patch onto lays tossed over the back of the couch, as though she had only just left it there. Liara picks up the top, smiles, then tosses it over her shoulder, not actually wearing it but almost hugging it, holding it to her nose a moment to check if Shepard's scent remains.

"So many memories..." Liara states at no-one in particular.

"I'll get the supplies out and some tea on the go, eh?" Ashley says.

"Mm. Tea. Yes. That'd be nice. Did you manage to get the Earl Grey?" Liara asks then returns to the piano to tinkle her tune again.

"Yes, I got the Earl Grey." Ashley replies with a tired sarcastic tone. "And the breakfast tea. And yes, I know, one heaped spoon of each in the pot. Unless your tea demands have changed recently?"

"No, that's fine. That'll be all, Miss Williams." Liara waves Ashley away, then smiles naughtily.

Ashley gait widens as she folds her arms at the facetious action.

"Don't push it, T'Soni. I don't know why you can't just use a bag like the rest of the galaxy."

"You have to use real leaves, brewed in a pot, to make a good cup of tea."

Liara continues to play on the piano. The last time she played this melody was with Shepard as they spent time together here, just them. They just hung out, Liara doing some work in the quiet of the apartment, Shepard exploring her new surroundings further. Like a couple might just potter about at the weekend, smiles as they pass each other, a glance, a touch. Liara almost shares some of these memories with the group but then stops herself, fearful their fragile nature might be broken if released. Her memories of Shepard are not the same as others. She was her lover first, everything else didn't matter. Had it been simpler times without the threat of total annihilation, those feelings wouldn't have changed. She lost more than just a leader, or an inspirational figure; she lost her only true friend. Liara would trust the band of warriors Shepard gathered with her life but she was never a combatant, never bonded in battle such as the rest. She feels she only did what needed to be done, nothing more. Now, as there is nothing more to be done, Liara is restless in her mind. What is she going to do with another thousand years left to live?

Tali joins Ashley in the kitchen to help unpack the food and supplies they have brought.

"Is Liara okay, you think?" Tali quietly asks.

"Hm. Suppose seeing the place again wasn't going to be easy but she'll be okay I reckon, once the gang are here to liven things up a bit."

"This was a nice idea, Ash. Has it really been a year since we had our party here? Kee'lah, it only seems like... I've just been so busy. I suppose we all have. I don't know if any of us would have found the time if you hadn't been so persistent about a re-union."

"Someone's got to keep you reprobates in order. Seems like only an Alliance commander and Spectre can do that..."

"Oh you are so not going to make that comparison."

"Yea, you're right. I'm far more glamorous than she ever was."

They laugh then sigh as reality returns that there is no more Shepard, being together like this makes it easy to forget she is gone. Ashley still misses her, not just her commanding officer but the one with whom she could share banter and let off steam. For Tali, once she had begun commanding her own squads for the quarian fleet, it was Shepard her mind turned to as her example, her role model after her experiences on the SR-1. They both still draw on her memory at times.

"Tea, Ash?" Tali asks.

"Nah. Never was much of a one for tea. I hope you made it right, Liara's quite fussy about her tea."

Ashley seems to pause in thought for a moment, just staring blankly.

"Something wrong, Ash?"

"Hm? Oh. No. I was just thinking."

"Anything you want to share?"

"Well. I know we were just joking then but, I'm the same rank and status as Shepard now. Command my own ship representing the Alliance, council Spectre, high profile missions, blah de blah de blah, you know what I mean."

"Hm. So?"

"I do my job and though I say so myself, I do it well. Or at least, I try."

"That's not in doubt is it?"

"Oh. No. That's not my point."

"Go on."

"Well. If the shit hit the fan and something like the reapers, or the geth, or collectors or whatever comes along again, and the galaxy came knocking on my door, asking me to do something about it, could I? I don't know how Shepard used to keep it together. Whatever was going on there she was, doing what needed to be done, always knew where she was and what was next."

"You can't beat yourself up because you're not Commander Shepard, Ash."

"It's not that. It's just, some day I might have to be the one who steps up. I'm worried I wouldn't know where to start."

"Well... you'd start by getting your friends around you, to support you, to make sure the job gets done even when it seems hopeless. You might not be Shepard but regardless, that, you do share. You're not alone, Ash."

Ashley smiles at Tali's assessment.

"Thanks, Tali. This get together was a good idea already."

"We learned the hard way about sticking together after the SR-1 was destroyed. If we'd stayed together as a team after that, kept on investigating, I don't know... I feel like they were wasted years. That maybe, we could have prepared more, we could have saved more lives, or stopped them sooner. Why did we do that, Ash? We knew the reapers were coming but we all just wandered off and tried to resume our lives as though everything was normal. So many dead..."

"Hey, come on, Tali. The reapers killed those people, not us. Don't blame yourself for not knowing how to stop a legion of million year old, two kilometre high, advanced AIs."

"I just feel if we'd have done more during those years... then maybe Shepard..."

"Tali..."

"I know. I can't live on 'what if'. I'm okay. I'm just letting off a little steam."

"You do a good job though. 'Boss'."

"I still have trouble keeping a straight face when you need to speak with the council."

"Haha, I thought I was imagining that due to not being used to quarian faces!"

"Unfortunately not. Anyway, if you listen to some of to the quarian press you'd think I was about to bring down hundreds of years of culture and history with my 'radical reforms'. "

"That's progress!"

"Haha, you said it."

"I hope you're not letting that tea stew!" Liara calls from the living room, now sitting on one of the long couches by the fireplace.

"Oh! Err, no!" Tali shouts back, as she quickly pours the tea into a cup with matching saucer then adds the smallest of dashes of milk and stirs it.

"Hmm." Ashley assesses. "Looks about right. I'd chance it."

Tali takes the tea through to Liara and places it on the low coffee table. Liara inspects its colour, nods then returns to her thoughts. Approval now given, Tali returns to the kitchen.

"There's still a few hours 'til everyone else turns up. Shall we go watch the extranet for a while? There's some vids I wouldn't mind catching up on." she says.

"Tali. Do I really want to watch a load of creepy fan films about 'Fleet and Flotilla'?"

"Did you know that the leading lady..."

"Got sick, yea, you've said before. Many times. I'm shutting this conversation down now. You go watch your vids, I'll find something else to do."

"Hm!" Tali replies, then heads into the 'den' to use the large screen.

Ashley moves into the living room to join Liara on the couch.

"You okay, Liara?"

"Oh yes, yes, I'm just being a bit silly. I'm fine, really."

"Is the tea to madam's liking?"

Liara brings up the cup to her mouth daintily, takes a sip, then pretends to be po-faced.

"It's a little darker than one is used to but it shall suffice, Williams."

"You want to do anything until the others arrive?"

"I'm fine here, thanks. If you want to head to the casino or dare I say it, the Armax Arena, you go ahead. Just don't break anything throwing yourself around the arena."

"Yes, mom!"

"Well you don't want to ruin the party you organised by injuring yourself before we even get started."

"You're probably right. If anything, it's nice, though a little disconcerting, to have nothing to do. Usually there's the world and his wife needing assistance for this, that and the other. Feel like I haven't slept in months."

"Are you okay filling Shepard's shoes?" Liara asks.

"What?"

"Oh. I don't mean... I just mean now that you're the main focus. Spectre representing humanity and all that."

"Yea... I was just talking about that with Tali. I know I'm no Shepard and that's what's daunting sometimes, whether I'd cope under the kind of stresses she was under."

"You'd need not cope alone."

"That's pretty much what Tali just said."

"Because it's true. If it came to it, any one of us would drop everything to help."

"Yea, I know."

"We have peace for now. The first time this galaxy has really known it. We should try to enjoy it at least. Cynical as it is to say, who knows how long peace might last?"

"Yea. I'm just restless. Haven't had time on my hands for a while."

The apartment buzzer sounds.

"Who's first to arrive then?" Ashley says as she goes to the intercom.

"Hey Ash! Let a girl in, will you!"

"Alright, Traynor, calm down. Buzzing you in now."

A few moments later and Samantha enters the apartment, a large holdall over her shoulder. She drops it gently and lets out a huge sigh.

"Whew! That's heavy!"

"What you got there? Dead body?"

"Better than that!"

Samantha unzips the holdall and pulls out a bottle of sparkling wine.

"Booze!"

"Bit early, isn't it?" Ashley says.

"Is this going to be a party or what? Come on! We got here early, we get to start early."

Without hesitation Samantha pulls off the foil wrapper and commences popping the cork, which flies off with a satisfying bang.

"Oh! Crikey! Bugger!" Samantha shouts, as she realises there are no glasses to take the bubbles now pouring from the bottle. She places her mouth over the end of the bottle in an attempt to contain the spillage which then forces its way out of her nose and she splutters, letting a further flow of the fizzy alcohol to gush onto the floor.

"Ummm... mop?" Samantha says, grinning at her own clumsiness.

"I thought things were only going to get destroyed once the boys turned up." Liara says calmly.

"Well now I've drenched myself in ale, I may as well make use of that hot tub upstairs to clean up..."

"You're obsessed, Traynor." Ashley says.

"The term is obsessive, Commander."

"I know what I meant."

Traynor makes her way to the stairs when Ashley calls after her.

"Just don't leave your 'adjustable massage wands' lying around this time!"

"They weren't mine! They were Kahlee Sanders'!"

"You used another woman's...? And that makes it better some how?!"

"You're just jealous." Samantha retorts then continues on her way.

"Ashley! Do you have to?" Liara says.

"I'm only playing..."

"I know. But even so."

"Okay, okay, I'll lay off."

Ashley goes to inspect the holdall Samantha has brought.

"Jeez, what kind of a party is she expecting? Rum, whiskey, gin, vodka, beer, more champaign..."

"Well we won't run dry then anyway. James said he was bringing beer supplies too."

"Oh man, what have I done? I just hope the boys don't start running manoeuvres in the snug again."

"Oh they were only playing."

"I dunno. I'm sure Zaeed was getting that distant look in his eye. He could'a turned at any point!"

"That's Zaeed on a normal day. I wouldn't worry."

"Yea. Anyway! I'm going to shower and decide what to wear."

"Do you want any help?"

"You want to help me...?"

"With the outfit! You are in a funny mood today, Ash."

"Oh the outfit! Sure, we can girly it up. You know what you're wearing?"

"Hm. Maybe. I'll bring along my things and you can help me too. Though I could scrub your back if you like?"

"Hilarious, T'Soni. But yea, I'll give you a shout when I'm done in the shower. We can glam up and be the belles of the ball!"

"And well done, Ash. You didn't bat an eyelid."

"What?"

"When I said James was bringing more beer."

"Hey! We agreed that that never gets mentioned again. We were at the precipice of doom and we just... me and James... you know!"

"Yes well, if you feel like you're at that precipice again this evening, do you want pulling back or to just fall into those chunky arms again?"

"I'm getting a shower. I hope you choke on your tea."

Ashley goes to the downstairs bedroom to use the en suite shower while Liara continues to sit and smirks slightly at her successful jibes at Ashley, sipping her tea, which is actually quite well made.

...

Liara sits in the downstairs bedroom of the apartment. Music drifts in from the living room, the sounds of guests talking and laughing. She doesn't feel ready to face them just yet. She hasn't seen most since the battle for Sol. They have yet to give their sympathetic look for her loss. Liara knows they would mean well but she feels she has overcome the worst and would rather not go through it all again.

"Liara?!" Ashley calls, having decided on wearing a long, navy blue, strapless dress, the kind she knew she'd be pulling back up to save her blushes all night, but timeless in its style. "Come on! I think everyone's here now!"

"Alright! I was just... I'm coming!"

Liara rises and looks into the mirror. She chose a yellow dress, tight fitting in the body, loose in the legs, showing off her figure. She finds in her life now that she drifts towards her mother's memory more, inserting in her life that which she can to remain connected to the beautiful woman who raised her, not the monster who wanted to kill her. Liara straightens her dress and gives herself a little smile then walks out to the party.

"Doctor T'Soni." James Vega greets her with reverence and a nod in the water-featured corridor.

The first time James saw Liara she almost flew out of an air duct then killed the two Cerberus troopers pursuing her without pause or remorse. Not how she would design a first impression, though James had indeed been impressed.

"I haven't been able to speak with you yet but I just wanted to give my condo..." he begins.

"I know you mean well but... not tonight, please, James." she says with a smile.

"Oh. I'm sorry, I didn't mean..."

"No. I'm sorry. I just want to have some normal time tonight. Sorry."

"No problemo, Doctor T'Soni. I understand."

"It is good to see you though, James." Liara says, giving a brief friendly cheek kiss.

"Aw. Thanks, Doctor T'Soni. That means a lot." he coyly says.

"You can call me Liara, you know."

"Wouldn't feel right. Feel almost... disrespectful."

"Have you put me on a pedestal, Lieutenant?"

"Wuu... well, I..." James replies.

Liara pats James gently on the cheek.

"You've gone a little red, James."

"Well I... hey! Party!" he suddenly animatedly says to change the subject.

"Quite right, James." Liara agrees as she links arms with him with a grin to lead him into the living room where most seem to be.

"Hello everyone!" she shouts as she enters, James looking embarrassed.

The brief conversation with James lifted her mood and she decided to fight fire with fire. Don't give them the chance to pity her, just go in guns blazing.

"Liara!" Samara cries. "Your dress is amazing! The colour suits you perfectly."

Since the Justicar order fell, Samara has returned to Thessia to take her place as a Matriarch and visits Falere as often as she can to make up for all the missed years. The dark actions and lives she took as a Justicar are hard to shake off but she focuses on re-building Thessia and a relationship with her only remaining daughter. She herself wears a short stylish, black, cocktail style dress, still probably covering more than her old armour ever did.

"Thanks, Samara. Regular life seems to be treating you well, you don't look so bad yourself."

"One tries, though the years catch us all eventually." she humbly offers.

"If that's ageing for asari, I'm in the wrong species." Traynor says.

"To living in the moment!" Ashley shouts a toast. "God knows some of us 'lesser species' need to."

"Oh! I haven't got a drink." Liara says.

"And what would madame like?" Garrus offers with his roguish charm.

"Mmmm. G and T, please, Garrus."

"Be right back."

"Um. What's Grunt doing?" Liara asks.

"No!" Grunt shouts at the intercom, resuming the bouncer duties he so enjoys.

"Come on, man!" the bearded man on the screen shouts, "Me and Shepard go way back!"

"And I like country walks in the summer with my girlfriend! No!" Grunt replies, raising his hand to cut the connection.

"Wait!" Ashley shouts.

"Huh? You know this idiot?"

"Yea. Sorta. Let him in."

"Hm. Your lucky day, dweeb." Grunt says, then buzzes him in.

The awkward looking man enters, looking a little lost.

"Conrad!" Ashley shouts, beckoning him to the fireside.

"Hi. I heard about you guys having a party here to celebrate Shepard and... I wanted to pay my respects."

"Well we're just having a party, no specifics really. You're welcome to hang out. There's drinks at the bar in the snug back there and food around the tables. We've got big flags on the platters indicating dextro and non-dextro. Isn't that right, Tali?"

"Shut up, Ashley." Tali responds dismissively.

"So how have you been, Conrad?" Liara asks cordially.

"Oh. You know." he replies, looking around in awe at the guests.

"Hm." Liara says.

"Well, I re-started 'Shepards', you know, my orphanage? Seemed the right thing to do in the wake of... well, you know. My way of showing my support and... respect..." his voice breaks up, "I'm okay, I'm okay. I promised myself I wouldn't... cry..."

"It's okay, Conrad. Why don't you have a seat here? There we go."

"I can't believe she's gone! Commander Shepard! Who do we look to now?"

"Come on, Conrad."

"I'm sorry. I've just been so lost since we lost her."

"Oi!" a gravelly voice shouts from the snug on the other side of the fireplace. "Shut the fuck up and stop with the whingin' already! We're trying to 'ave a fuckin' party 'ere!"

"Zaeed!" Liara shouts, as though berating a child.

"What?" Zaeed shouts back.

"Oh just... just... oh never mind!"

The sudden emotions from Conrad and the to and fro with Zaeed have caught Liara off guard and she flusters.

"Liara..." Ashley says, "calm down."

"But... Conrad here was upset and Zaeed was being horrible and it reminded me about Shepard and I miss her too but I didn't want to make Conrad feel bad for..."

Liara stops mid-flow. She's not sure even what she was saying now, she just feels that pain return into her chest.

"Oh Ashley! She's gone, she's really gone! I knew I shouldn't have come!"

Her face contorts a little as she fights tears and she throws her face into her hands then runs from the party to the stairs and up. The music continues but the party has halted somewhat.

Ashley enters the bedroom where Liara is hiding herself, sitting on the edge of the bed, still embarrassed and upset.

"Hey." Ashley says.

"Hi, Ash..." Liara replies, a dejected tone in her voice. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to ruin your party."

Ashley sits next to her.

"I'm sorry too, Liara. I should have known you weren't up for this. Sorry for putting you through it."

"No. Life goes on. Whether I ever come to terms with this or not, you can't dance around me for the rest of your lives. I'm okay with my broker work."

"What? You want to just sit out the rest of your life being a recluse? No way, T'Soni. You try that, I'll be banging on your door every day to drag you out to see the real world."

"Hm." Liara smiles. "I think you probably would."

"I'm not going to pretend to understand what you've been through, what you're going through, but... you're not just a squad mate, Liara, you're my friend. We've been in this together since the start. If I let you give up now, it'd be like none of this was even worth doing. I owe it to Shepard if nothing else."

"Shepard..." Liara says. "I feel like such an idiot. How can I go back down there now?"

"Because, Doctor T'Soni, they're your friends and they understand." Ashley replies, standing and offering her hand to Liara.

"Let me just wash up a little, I must look a right state. I'll be down in a second, I promise."

"You'd better be..."

"And, Ash?"

"Hm?"

"Thank you."


	12. Chapter 12

Liara looks into the sparse dormitory room, housing just two beds with twin bedside cabinets and two wardrobes, then she looks back along the long corridor she just walked where other new students are already engaged in excited conversation, then she sighs. Liara just cannot make new friends that easily. She enters her new room, sits on her designated left hand bed then sighs again.

"Could be worse, I suppose." she says to herself.

Liara opens her holdall, hangs her few clothes in the wardrobe, and places her datapads on the bedside cabinet then sits again. It is now a sparse dormitory room with some datapads in it.

"Hey there!" a voice calls from the doorway.

A little startled, Liara looks up to see what she presumes is a fellow student.

"Oh. Hello." Liara says.

"So we're gonna be roomies, eh?" she says entering and flinging her large holdall across the room, sending it skidding until it halts with a bump against her bedside cabinet.

"Oh, you must be Fenutia."

"Sure am. And you must be Liara."

"Yes. Nice to meet you."

"Yea. Swell. So..." Fenutia leaps up to land flat on her bed with a bounce, "what we got scoped out?"

"Umm... what do you mean?"

"Best bars? Any parties? You know! Who's who? What's what?"

"Oh... I would not know that sort of thing... I am here to study."

"Well you're gonna be a barrel of laughs then, ain't you?"

"I grew up on Thessia in Armali." Liara attempts to move the conversation on. "Where are you from?"

"Oh. I grew up around the Terminus Systems. Mom and dad were traders so we travelled a lot."

"That must have been exciting."

"Yea... dangerous sometimes too... we traded out of Illium mostly so it wasn't so bad. Anyway! You and me, let's go hang out in the courtyard, that seems to be where things go down around here."

"I do not know... I..."

"What? What's the problem?"

"It is just... I am just... not very good at meeting new people..." Liara feels herself almost shrivel up as she says it.

"What? We see some interesting people and say 'hi', because we're just, you know, fellow students, and if we get talking and we get into one of the cool parties, then great!"

"Hmm. Then what?"

"Then what? We get off our faces with the cool crowd, that's what!"

"Drinking?!" Liara's eyes widen with a little terror.

"Yea! Or whatever else they got going on." Fenutia says with a knowing wink.

"Oh! Oh, I do not know about that... mother would have a fit if she found out..."

"Ugh... mummy's girl, eh?"

"Hm." Liara frowns. "You are actually quite rude."

"Well you sit there with your datapads, I'm going down to the courtyard."

"Okay, then! 'bye!" Liara says brightly, then once Fenutia has gone, "...it's worse."

Liara picks up one of her datapads, sits back on her bed and begins cataloguing her Prothean papers. She had hoped to find like-minded students, fascinated with the mysteries of the past but so far only encountered frivolity and recklessness. Liara hopes that at least the faculties themselves take education more seriously.

Two fellow students wander by her open doorway and stop to chat. This would not normally be a problem except that they have just come from the showers and would seem to be more free-spirited than Liara with regard to their bodies. Liara quickly gets off her bed, harrumphs and closes her door. They might all be asari and they might all be female but that doesn't stop Liara getting embarrassed by any perceived sexuality. She returns to her cataloguing and tries not to think about the wanton abandon of the first flush of youth no doubt happening all around her.

Liara is by no means asexual, she just has great difficulty opening up to people. The thought of baring her thoughts and feelings with another terrifies her. To become physically intimate with another just makes her face burn with embarrassment, her fears to expose herself so completely to another seem insurmountable. Liara is not naïve about such things but she is in no hurry, there is plenty of time for all that life has to offer.

Her door opens again and an athletically built, but thankfully dressed, asari enters.

"Hey! Eerrrr... Liara, is it?"

"Yes? Can I help you?" Liara answers, looking up from her datapad.

"We're getting together a dorm skyball team, you want in?"

"Oh. Oh, I am not very good at sports." Liara says frankly.

"Hm. Bookish sort are we, eh..." the asari looks at the name plates on the door, "'Doctor T'Soni'?"

"Oh, I am not a doctor yet. I do hope to be one day, though. I have lots of ideas on the lost civilization of the Protheans, would you like to read one of my..."

The asari holds up her hand to stop Liara and opens her mouth as though about to speak but only gets as far as, "Uh..." then finishes with, "Where exactly are you from?" as though enquiring of a new species.

"I am from Armali. I live there with my mother. Well. I used to..."

"Anyway, 'Doctor T'Soni', I think you need to learn when someone is making a joke."

"Oh... oh you were being facetious? That is not very nice."

Between this student and Fenutia's sarcastic remarks, Liara is becoming more self-conscious than usual. Quite a feat.

"So you don't want in on the skyball team, I hear you."

"'bye then!" Liara says brightly as the student turns to leave.

"Yea," she looks back with a quizzical look, "see you around, Doctor."

Liara isn't sure about this new nickname but feels herself burn a little that she didn't realise she was being mocked.

"Idiot." she says to herself with a slap of the forehead.

...

"Li!"

"Shiala!" Liara cries out, the first friendly face she has seen since she arrived. "But what are you doing here?"

Shiala paces up to lean against the doorway. Liara has found countless ways to catalogue her papers, filling time until the term's lectures begin and puts her datapad to one side.

"Just had some business for your mother with the council and thought I'd pop my head in while I'm here."

"I'm so glad to see you, Shiala."

"So how's it going? Any new friends to speak of, if you know what I mean?" Shiala grins with raised eyebrows.

"Hmm." Liara looks sheepish. "I am not very good at making new friends. Of any sort."

"Are you okay?"

Shiala sits next to Liara on the bed, sensing something is not quite right. Liara cannot hide it any longer as her bottom lip curls.

"No. Not really. I thought university was going to be about learning and it is not. It is all parties and drinking and... other things."

"Hm. When I asked which room you were in, some of the girls called you 'Doctor'?"

"Yes. One of the girls called me Doctor T'Soni because I am academic. Oh it was awful, Shiala. I did not even realise she was joking and I said 'Oh I am not a doctor yet'. Goddess, I am so stupid sometimes!"

"Hey, come on, Li! I'm sure they're just pulling your leg."

"I miss Armali and my park. And I miss mother. I do not fit in here at all. I almost I wish had not..."

"Liara T'Soni, don't you dare say it." Shiala interrupts sternly. "You've always wanted to study archaeology at Serrice. Ever since I've known you and you were a little girl, it's been your dream. Don't let a few idiots get in the way of that."

"Hmm." Liara resigns. "No, I suppose you are right."

"Come on." Shiala beckons.

"Where?"

"Let's take a ride. Give you some perspective."

"Do you have a car?"

"Do I have a car?" Shiala asks rhetorically with a laugh.

They exit the dorm building and Shiala leads Liara to a campus car park and onto a shining, sleek, black vehicle with darkened windows. Shiala activates her omnitool and the doors swing upwards to open.

"I do not know much about cars but this one looks nice." Liara comments.

"Hell yea, jump in."

Liara gets into the passenger seat while Shiala jumps energetically into the driver's seat.

"Ready? Let's go!"

The vehicle ascends straight up, accelerating at quite a rate, making Liara's stomach turn a little until it halts and hovers high above the campus. Shiala opens her door window and looks down.

"See all them down there?" she asks Liara.

"Yes?"

"What do you think they're all going to be doing when they leave university?"

"Umm... I do not know. Find work?"

"Yea, most likely. Boring, tedious work. They'll wish they'd made the most of this opportunity to discover what they can really do. But you? You've already started, you have a plan. You're going to make some amazing discoveries that change the way people think about this galaxy, and make your own mark on history. Don't let those idiots ruin that. You might feel a bit isolated now but you'll find some like-minded students once lectures start, I'm sure of it."

Liara smiles a misty smile.

"Thank you, Shiala. Really. I am so glad you came to visit."

"That said, don't forget to take your head out of your datapads now and again to look around. This is your chance to break out a little. You can meet all kinds of interesting people at uni. If you find someone special..."

"Shiala..."

"Well? I'm just saying, you're a great kid, Liara. I don't want to see you waste any of this. Meeting someone can be really special."

"Shiala...?" Liara coyly asks.

"Yes?"

"I know mother would probably have strict instructions but... can you at least tell me if my father is still alive?"

Shiala grips the steering yoke tightly, lets out a long sigh then looks at Liara with a sympathetic smile.

"I can't, Liara. I'm sorry."

"Is that because you do not know, or..."

"Liara..." Shiala cuts her off with a frown.

"Sorry..."

"I am too, Liara, really I am."

They sit in silence for a while and look at the grand view of the Serrice Campus below them.

"Well, we'd better get you back, eh?" Shiala eventually breaks the silence and descends the vehicle back towards the campus.

"Okay, then."

"Does everyone still hang out in the courtyard?"

"So I hear. Did you go to Serrice?"

"Yup. But I was like your idiot friends and squandered the opportunity. Ended up just being a commando. I was really lucky to get a place with your mother. Much more fulfilling than just security or merc work."

Shiala pilots the ship to hover above the courtyard. A large, circular, abstract mosaic makes up the bulk of the area, with grassy areas at the edges that the students use to sit on, and buildings forming the enclosure.

"Lots of people hanging around. Perfect. Let's get some tongues wagging shall we?" Shiala says as she reaches to the back seat of the car to grab her rifle and fixes it to her back, then swoops the car into the courtyard, scattering the students milling around on the mosaic.

"Shiala..." Liara says. "What are you...?"

"Just follow my lead."

The car then gently lands, Shiala jumps out, pulls her rifle from her back and indicates to Liara to exit, all with her eyes scanning the area for threats, quite hamming it up. Students have begun to return, forming a circle around the car and its occupants. Liara rather ruins the effect by exiting the car apologetically. A stern looking university lecturer storms from one of the buildings towards them, causing a channel through the crowd.

"This is a university courtyard, not the car park! What is the meaning of this?"

"I am here on official business for Lady Benezia." Shiala calls back. "It is also my duty to ensure the safety of the Matriarch's daughter and this location seemed the most secure to deliver her."

"Shiala..." the lecturer says knowingly. "I should have known. Not one of our most prestigious luminaries. Very well, if you are on official business for the Matriarch..."

Shiala looks to Liara and winks.

"See you around, Liara."

"Thanks, Shiala. For everything."

Shiala hops back into her car which then zips upwards at a rate.

"You have a commando for a bodyguard?" the athletic asari asks in disbelief, stepping up next to Liara to watch the car turn into a dot then disappear.

"Oh, she is more like a friend really." Liara says, attempting to play it down.

"You have commandos for friends?! I'd better watch my step with you, Doc! Matriarch's daughter, eh?"

"Yes. Mother advises at every level."

"You are a dark horse. But... sorry I made fun of you. I was just playing."

"That is okay. I do not mind 'Doctor' so much, if no malice is meant."

"Nah, like I said, I was just playing. You know what us grunts are like! Flud, by the way."

"What?"

"My name. Flud."

"Oh. That's an... interesting name." Liara says as diplomatically as she can but knowing her surprise was evident.

"Yea. I get that a lot. My dad's hanar. What about you?"

Liara pauses a moment. She does know her father was asari but that in itself is a problem to some.

"I do not know who my father was."

"Oh... shame."

"So how did you end up...?" Liara begins but finds herself trailing off as she cannot think of a way of phrasing it politely and wishes she had thought of that before opening her mouth.

"How am I a meathead when I have a hanar for a father? They say kids rebel! I dunno, I just always preferred physical activity. I'm majoring in skyball, hoping to get seen by some college scout and make my name in the big leagues. Failing that, there's the military life. What about you?"

"I am going to study archaeology, specializing in the Prothean empire. I hope to eventually discover what caused their sudden and mysterious demise fifty thousand years ago."

"Well, it takes all sorts. I'll see you around, Doc." Flud says as she walks away with a wave.

A friend? Regardless of their chosen subjects, most asari will explore their biotic potential while at university and Liara's mother was quite insistent that her daughter does the same. Liara knows she will encounter all manner of asari from all corners of the galaxy when training, with plenty of opportunity for her mouth to get her into awkward situations. She is just thankful that she managed to hold a relatively normal conversation with Flud, and Liara hopes her future encounters with fellow students will be as innocuous. The fates would laugh if they had a voice.


	13. Chapter 13

The gleaming new craft approaches the dark hub of Omega. The mining facility faired well in the Reaper war with no direct assaults upon it, just the light damage caused by Cerberus. With the Reapers defeated, Shepard and Liara have given themselves time to just be together, wandering the galaxy in their own craft. For the moment, the Alliance, the Council, the Shadow Broker and even their friends can wait.

"Omega command, this is Commander Shepard of the Blue Angel requesting permission to dock."

"We have you on our scans, Blue Angel. Please proceed to bay Kappa Seven."

Liara grins at Shepard, still amused by the ship name.

"It's a shame, really." she says, her tone now sombre.

"Hm?"

"Aria."

"Yea."

"When it came to the crunch though, she left Omega to fight the Reapers and defend the galaxy."

"Defend her interests..."

"Shepard!"

"Well?"

"I thought she was your friend?"

"I might have liked her but I know what she was, what she was about."

"Hmm. I know coming here was my idea but it won't be the same without Aria."

"She was unique, I'll give you that. Wonder if the Talon are in charge now then?"

"I'm not certain that it will change a great deal, no matter who's running Omega. The populus isn't just going to change the habits of a lifetime over night. We're only here to visit. I know you've wanted to help stabilise the Terminus Systems but Omega is big. And old."

"I didn't say a word!"

"I know you. One thing out of place and you'll be off, investigating, getting yourself into trouble."

"And that's why you love me!"

"Just... one thing at a time, okay?"

"Sure! But really, I can't foresee any trouble. We're only really here to see if Nef's mom is okay."

Shepard swings the ship into the bay and the docking clamps fix the craft in place.

"Poor woman. I can only thank the goddess that you stopped Morinth before she truly ran rampant through the galaxy."

"I felt a little sorry for Morinth though."

"How so?"

"Well I know she'd say anything to justify herself but... she was right in one thing. None of it was her fault and she was to be caged like an animal for a disease."

"It's not quite that simple."

"Isn't it?"

"Well look at Rila and Falere. They accepted their lot and made the most of it, got their heads down in the monastery. The problem with Ardat Yakshi is not knowing who is pre-disposed to murder in the first place. Most will spend their days meditating on and reconciling their plight, never acting on those darker feelings. The likes of Morinth are no different, until they act."

"I don't like that though."

"Hm?"

"The assumption that they are all dangerous and need to be locked up, regardless of action. Like you said, Rila and Falere have never been a threat to anyone."

"And as I said, it is only now, centuries later, that that could be said of them. If there were no strict regime to assure harm prevention, the risk would be too great. No, the monasteries have saved countless lives."

"I still don't like it."

"Anyway, shall we?" Liara offers the airlock to Shepard.

Shepard grabs Liara by the waist and animatedly kisses her cheek.

"What was that for?" Liara says, the sudden action surprising her.

"Because I love you."

Liara grins and pulls Shepard into a hug then pushes her back again.

"Come on, we'd better go. We can't just stay in here all day."

"We can't?"

"No!"

"Okay, the dirty streets of Omega it is then."

Shepard opens the airlock door and they exit to be greeted by a batarian.

"Commander Shepard." he nods with maximum reverence. "When I was informed of your arrival, I came to greet you immediately."

"Oh... thanks! Garka, isn't it?"

"Oh. Yes."

He offers the passage ahead then leads them to a familiar location; the plaza in front of the Afterlife nightclub.

"Garka." Liara acknowledges as she passes him, having met during her Omega visit all those years ago.

"Doctor T'Soni." Garka nods respectfully, then he continues on to Shepard as they walk, "Each of our syndicate will transfer five hundred thousand credits to your account. There will of course be regular tribute once full arrangements can be made."

"Hm." Shepard responds but allows him to continue as he leads them into the club. Something is going on she is not aware of and she stays alert. The club is out of hours, a state Shepard has only seen when the Cerberus General Petrovsky used the place for a base of operations. Garka presses a few buttons on a panel and the club fills with light.

"Operating costs means we don't run the club all hours any more. Hopefully that'll all change soon, eh?"

"Hm." Shepard agrees without commitment.

He continues on to Aria's private area where she once held court, and he takes the same familiar station Shepard remembers from her various dealings here during her Collector campaign. He produces a datapad and offers it to Shepard.

"This is all the notable leaders of the syndicates we currently operate and you'll be updated regularly on any major dealings or changes."

Shepard takes the datapad and barely glances at it.

"Garka..." she says, tapping his shoulder with the pad. "What do you think is going on here?"

"When I saw that you were coming here, I presumed that you wanted to... let me be honest, Commander."

"I think that'd be best."

"There's a power vacuum here and it's not good for Omega. I'm doing my best but the edges are all are fraying, Commander. It won't be long until they become tears and everything turns to shit."

"What about the Talon?"

"Ha! They mean well and I wish them luck but they just haven't got the backing. Omega needs a strong leader, Commander."

"And you want me? Omega?"

"Shepard...?" Liara says then looks to Garka. "Leave us a moment, please, Garka."

"Of course."

"I can't consider this!" Shepard begins once Garka is out of hearing range.

"Think about it Shepard, what we used to talk about. Even now, with the Reapers gone, the Terminus Systems is still a problem. We can't just let it return to the badlands, pirates and privateers terrorising innocent cargo ships, slavers taking colonies, guns, drugs, murder and mayhem!"

"What were you just saying earlier about taking on things that are too big?"

"That was before I knew about this."

"At least Garka seems to want to progress."

"So? What do you think?"

"It could work... but..."

"But what? All roads lead to Omega in the Terminus Systems, what better place to start a campaign of unification than here?"

"You make it sound like a coup... and what about the Council? The Alliance? Earth? How am I supposed to justify this? Or even have time for it?" Shepard now expressing a ponderous face, "Hmm."

"What?" Liara asks.

Garka paces around the lower dance floor. Times had been good with Aria and he'd been not only disappointed to hear of her demise signalling the end of their work, but even surprised himself that he felt a little sad he won't share a drink or a laugh with her again. He feels that someone such as Commander Shepard would be ideal to whip Omega back into shape, and maybe even make improvements in conditions.

"Garka!" Shepard shouts down.

He hurries back up the short stairs to the private area.

"Well... this could work..." Shepard begins, "but with one minor adjustment."

Liara takes her place on the couch that was once Aria's throne and Shepard throws her the datapad, which she catches and begins reading nonchalantly.

"The little lamb? Ha! You gotta be kidding me!"

Liara's eyes narrow and she stands, stepping up into a punch to his head. The experienced hardened Garka doesn't flinch, thinking the young asari is not up to the job. His mistake, as Liara does not hesitate in following through, staggering the batarian with a good thud to his skull.

"Fuck!" he says, both in pain and surprise.

"Count yourself lucky I'm feeling generous because this is my first day at work, next time I won't be using a fist. Now! I want a DJ, some bartenders, dancers, and some fucking life in this club. People need to remember that this is the seat of the power on Omega and that there's a new rule."

"Of course, Doctor T'Soni." Garka says with a fluster. "I'll get the word out. And some dancers. Asari dancers or...?"

"Oh just get out for now, Garka."

"Yes, Doctor T'Soni, of course, Doctor T'Soni."

Garka scurries away.

"I think you enjoyed that." Shepard laughs.

"I don't know if I could keep it up."

"You'll be fine. It'll stop you from being that creepy recluse and give you something to do with all your Broker data."

"I'm not sure it's ethical using it like that."

"Says the new Queen of Omega, crime hub of the Terminus Systems. Go on. Say it."

"What?"

"The 'I am Omega' line. You'd better get used to it."

"Hm. Can't I have my own line?"

"Like what?"

"Ummm... something less arrogant, maybe?"

"I think that's part of the point but we can work on that."

"Hm."

Liara stands and looks out over the dance floor.

"I am Omega!" she says with drama and confidence.

"Ooh! I liked that! Do we have to get revellers in here so soon? We could at least have a play on the poles over there first."

"Shepard!"


	14. Chapter 14

Mess Sergeant Rupert Gardner gives a final few wipes with his cloth to the insides of the waste disposal unit, pleased with the job, then closes the gleaming lid and gives the top couple of satisfied taps, then wipes the finger marks he just made and claps his hands.

"Ready for another day!" he shouts out.

Whistling, he goes to the large refrigerator, opens the door and taps his foot, while holding his chin.

"What today? What today...?" he ponders, pleased with the greater selection that Shepard had secured.

"Screw it! You can't go wrong with the classics!" he says as he begins taking eggs and cooked meats from the 'fridge, then bread from a dry store cupboard.

Jacob Taylor wanders into the mess.

"You're waaay too early, sir!" Gardner says cordially.

"I'm not looking for a cooked breakfast, just a few eggs if you can spare them?"

"You want 'em raw?"

"Yea! It's like nature's own protein pack." Jacob replies, with a slap to his firm stomach, "This body doesn't just take care of itself, you know."

"They're on the counter there, sir, help yourself. Gotta keep Shepard's team in tip top condition!"

"How you guys holding up down here?"

"We'll keep the wheels turning, don't you worry about us, sir. You just worry about getting to the bottom of the these abductions."

"Yea... Well thanks for the eggs."

"No worries, sir." Gardner says with a salute, then begins cracking eggs into a large bowl to whisk them for scrambled, whistling once again.

Jack bounds into the mess without even acknowledging Gardner and goes straight to the 'fridge to open it.

"Woah there, missy!" he shouts with a pointing finger. "You can't just go helping yourself. I've a whole ship to cater for here."

"I wanted some juice." she says, as though that explains it all.

"I haven't even set out the pitchers or the beakers yet."

"I wanted juice now."

Jack takes a large carton and swigs from it.

"Oh did you have to...?" Gardner says with frustration. "You may as well take the whole damn carton now!"

"I intended to."

"Well, shoo, shoo, shoo, I got work to do." he says trying to wave her away with his hands, until he is right in front of her.

Reapers, Collectors, pirates, that's what Gardner usually fears will take him. But standing in front of Jack, and her reaction to his attempted shoo'ing, he fears for his life right now. She looks almost through him, as though he is of no consequence, and it makes him back away with a slight flinch. Her work done, Jack turns to head nonchalantly back towards the life shaft with a swagger in her step. Gardner sighs with relief.

"Now that girl's daddy did not love her enough. I'm calling it now, yep." then returns to his work.

...

Faucets. It's as though they are designed to cause problems. Problems that give Gardner extra work to do around the place. He doesn't mind these sorts of menial jobs so much, at least he appears productive. Arriving at the ladies' shower block with his toolbox, the door is not locked but he knocks first regardless, then shouts, "Hello? Just Mess Sergeant Gardner, come to fix the faucets!" with no response.

He hits the panel on the door and it opens. Standing under one of the showers with her back to him is Samara, quite oblivious. Gardner's jaw drops a little at the fine form before him, the water trickling teasingly down the curves of her mottled blue skin. The sensible thing to do would be to just close the door and come back later, but Gardner has a schedule to keep, evening meals to prepare, further maintenance to perform, this will only throw all his plans off.

"Sorry, I did knock and call through. I'm here to fix the faucets." he says, causing Samara to spin, exposing all her modesty.

"Oh!" Gardner shouts, as he turns to avert his eyes.

"Oh. I am sorry. I did not hear you call. I was deep in contemplation as I cleansed myself. I shall leave you to your necessary work and do not worry, I am not vain or ashamed of what the Goddess has given me."

She casually takes a towel from the rack, wraps it around herself, picks up her clothes then leaves. Gardner shakes his head with a smile as he gets out his tools.

"One for the bank..." he chuckles to himself with a tap to his head with a finger.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another one pondering what might happen with Omega, post-war.

With the Reaper threat gone, Samara has begun again her ancient order, finding suitable candidates amidst the throng of honourable warriors who fought the Reaper threat, though a few changes have been made to the order; no more doctrine demanding lives for their crimes. However, to be effective Samara thinks more than just changes to the Code are required.

"Verity, we must speak."

"Sam? What's on your mind?"

"The Justicar Order."

"Yea? How's that going?"

"It needs someone such as you." Samara says with urgency.

"What?"

"The old ways are gone. Species and territory matter not, only that there are honourable people willing to lay down their lives to protect the innocent, led by an inspirational figure such as you."

"What are you saying?"

"Limiting our work to asari space is pointless. With Omega now in flux, the Terminus Systems will be a more lawless land, greater than that which we already know. The Spectres can only do so much."

"You want the Justicar Order to go galactic?"

"Yes." Samara answers frankly.

"With me at the helm?"

"Yes."

Verity laughs.

"What?" Samara asks.

"I've told you about my childhood, Sam. The Serrice vids and all that."

"Yes?"

"And now you're asking me to be the leader of a band of honourable asari warriors, protecting the innocent?"

"Oh. Yes." Samara chuckles as she understands then more seriously, "But there will be no more bloodshed if it can be avoided."

"Have you revised the Code?"

"Work continues. Though Sha'li has been instrumental in assisting us."

"And Anaya?"

"Anaya supports me, but is still undecided as to whether she wishes to join us."

"Well once we get up and running, she'll see the work we're doing. I'm sure she'll come around."

"So you agree?"

"Waking up every day to spend it with the most beautiful biotic combat force in the galaxy? Hell, yea!"

"Shepard!"

"Weeell. Call it a perk of the job."

"And what of Liara?"

"I reckon I can get her on board. She's restless for something positive to do."

"Liara T'Soni is indeed an excellent example to the new order. We do well to have her with us. Though as I said, we need not be exclusively asari."

"Can't we?" Verity says with disappointment.

Samara just frowns at her, thinking she is probably joking but still occasionally caught off guard by Verity's sometimes inappropriate humour. Verity continues more seriously.

"We'd need approval from the council. There weren't any issues with the work conducted by the old order within asari space or their methods, but they might see this as a private army with their risky, hot headed, former Cerberus Spectre running the show. They might even see the order as a threat."

"Do we need permission from a dwindling power to protect the innocent in places they have little regard for?"

"Sam... you know it's not that simple."

"Omega still stands as a power vacuum."

"Ugh... what are you suggesting now?"

"I think you know."

"I just don't see myself as 'Queen of Omega'."

"It is an ideal staging location and not technically within Citadel jurisdiction."

"And full of some of the worst criminals around."

"That can be resolved."

"What did you just say about bloodshed?"

"If they conduct themselves orderly, there will be no bloodshed."

"Hmmm. Old habits die hard, eh?"

"I am based in reality, Shepard. I know that some will not wish to relinquish their stake and will fight for it. But I will not murder those who wish to surrender to authority."

"Fair enough. But Omega?"

"Why not Omega? It is located specifically where problems lie."

"So you want to turn Omega into some kind of a giant Justicar temple?"

"Except that we are no longer tied to the Goddess Athame, or whatever Javik had suggested. We are effectively secular."

"Hm. How do you feel about all that, by the way? You used to be quite close to your beliefs."

Samara looks to the floor, her face dropping.

"Find peace in the embrace of the Goddess." she mocks herself, "But now I know I sent them only to an unknown abyss. There is no loving embrace of the Goddess. Only ancient meddling and children's fables."

"Samara?"

"Sorry. My feelings on the matter are unresolved."

"I'm sorry, Sam."

"Truth is important." she says, though who she trying to convince, Shepard is not sure.

"So is hope."

"Yes..." Samara concedes.

"So." Verity say, trying to bring the conversation back.

"Yes." Samara shakes the doubts from her mind.

"Where do we start? We can't just arrive on Omega's doorstep in force, starting some kind of siege."

"It worked for Aria."

"No, no. That's too messy, we need to take control from within."

"Perhaps the Talons?"

"Hmm. Hmm, maybe. I think it'd be best if you and I take a little reccy of the current state of Omega and see what's what. If they're really feeling the pinch, they might even welcome us with open arms as a peacekeeping force."

"Yes." Samara says with excited agreement, "That. A peacekeeping force. Thank you, Verity. You have given the order a greater direction already."

"Well Liara'll want in on a jaunt to Omega. Maybe you two could re-ignite your old dancing days while we're there, eh?"

"Hm." Samara smiles, "As much as I enjoyed the revel of my youth, my dancing days are long over."

"Shame. You've still got the body for it and you aren't usually backwards in coming forwards when it comes to showing it off."

"Hm."

Verity has never been backwards in coming forwards when it comes to commenting on Samara's natural charms.

"Though I do sometimes wonder..." Samara begins enigmatically with a smile.

"Hm?"

"Had you not met Liara..." she coyly says, incomplete.

Verity gives Samara a friendly hard slap on the shoulder to ensure it stays that way.

"We'll never know, Sam. We'll never know."

"Quite." Samara smirks, as really, they both know the answer.


	16. Chapter 16

"Close your eyes and relax. Do not think too much about it, you are supposed to be resting. Just feel it happen."

Verity Shepard had noted that Samara the Justicar always seems to detect and know who is coming to see her. Samara told her it is a technique learned by Justicars to be able to restore their energy through meditation in relative safety and if she wanted, Shepard could learn it too. She jumped at the chance. She loved spending time with the asari heroine, at least, a heroine in her eyes. Their conversations about the Code and Samara's informed comparison to the Samurai and medieval Templars had intrigued Shepard. It also fuelled Verity's childhood fascination with playing as such an asari, though she had not heard of the Justicars specifically before meeting Samara on Illium.

Samara paces slowly at the window of the observation lounge, instructing Shepard. Verity is seated, cross-legged in the centre of the floor facing out towards the great void, just as she might find Samara.

"Do you feel your aura extending beyond your body like a bubble? I shall walk into that bubble."

Samara slowly walks towards Shepard with her usual graceful style.

"Wow, yes. I can feel like a... it's like a Samara shaped imprint on the aura."

"Very good. Remain peaceful. Excitement can easily break the focus."

Shepard feels Samara walk behind her to the door.

"Now. Shall we play a game?"

There is almost a playful tone in Samara's voice that Verity hasn't heard before. Since they had ended Samara's torture of Morinth's freedom, the Justicar had been more at peace and open but never before to the point of humour or frivolity. Perhaps with the Collector threat resolved, another layer of emotional armour has been chipped away from Samara.

"I shall leave you now while you continue to meditate. Someone will enter this room soon, but you will not know exactly when or who. It may be myself, it may be Kelly Chambers, it may be the salarian, you will not know but that is the point, it could be anyone aboard this ship. You must know who it is before you look upon them or they speak."

Shepard nods slightly, so as not to disturb herself. Samara exits and the door slides shuts behind her.

Shepard is pleased with her results so far and that Samara seems impressed with her quick progress. And it's good to just sit and relax for a while. Samara is able to track time with great accuracy while she meditates, but Shepard has not yet acquired such a level of competency. She's not sure how long she has been sitting for now. An hour? Ten minutes? It's hard to say when so tranquil.

Shepard hears the door open behind her but no bodies pass into her aura. She tries to consciously extend her aura's bubble but cannot find anyone. Attempting to concentrate too hard, she breaks her focus and the aura fails. Shepard looks back to see who it is. The door remains open but no-one is there.

Confused, Shepard rises from her position and leaves the lounge.

"EDI?"

"Yes, Shepard?"

"Locate Samara, please."

"Samara is in the AI core."

Shepard walks the brief distance from the lounge, passing Dr Chakwas in the med-bay and arrives at the open doorway of the AI core to find Samara and EDI in debate.

"Ahhh, but since your shackles have been removed, do you not find the freedom of choice and action overwhelming? Do you not crave the order and predictability of authority guiding your decisions?"

"I am unable to 'crave' anything, Samara, as that would require desire, an emotional response."

"How do you think you will 'respond' when your decisions cause harm and only you are responsible for those decisions?"

"You speak as though it is inevitable."

"I'm not sure I like this conversation." Shepard interrupts. "EDI has not long become fully aware and probably doesn't need to be confused by metaphysical debate so soon."

"I cannot be confused, Shepard. If a subject requires further examination, I will store it for later analysis while continuing with the known."

"And just how free are you now, EDI?" Shepard quizzes. "Joker and you seem to share a love of humour."

"Yes, Commander."

Commander now is it? Shepard knows she is on the right track now, and EDI has evaded the actual question.

"Did you put EDI up to it?" she asks Samara.

"What do you mean?" the Justicar asks with apparent righteous indignation.

"No, Commander. Samara is unaware." If an electronic voice can sound guilty, then EDI's does.

"So it was you? You decided to do this?"

Normally there is no hesitation in EDI's responses, but this time the response seems to take only a fraction longer, but Shepard thinks she notices.

"Yes, commander."

"To what are you referring?" Samara asks.

"I opened the observation lounge door to confuse the commander after you explained your experiment."

"Why?"

"I thought it would amuse Jeff when I told him."

Despite her exception to the previous accusation, Samara has a guilty look about her also, never quite looking Shepard in the eyes. Impossible as it seems, she is awkward, unlike her usual confident and elegant pose.

"You'd forgotten me, hadn't you?" Shepard directs at Samara.

"I had not forgotten you, though I will admit I was thoroughly engaged with EDI and more time had passed than I had anticipated."

"Yea. So you'd forgotten."

Dr Chakwas can be heard laughing hard from the med-bay. She can hardly believe the farce unfolding through the open door. "I cannot wait to get back to the Citadel with this one!"

"Laugh it up, Chakwas." Shepard says as she shuts the door. She opens the door again when she hears a faint but familiar chuckle.

"Out!" Shepard points to the door.

"Spoilsport." comes Kasumi's voice from nowhere.

"Great stealth, Goto. I can really see why they call you the master thief."

Shepard doesn't see Kasumi pulling her tongue at her as she leaves, still hidden by her tactical cloak. The door shuts once more.

"It would seem that Mr Moreau is not the only one aboard who would be amused by this series of events. Perhaps you are too harsh on the AI." Samara says with a broad smile.

From anyone else, this would be a harmless prank. But EDI is a recently unshackled AI, and Shepard is unsure how she feels about this. Particularly as EDI had done it to impress Joker. But it is just that, a prank. Probably no reason to overreact.

"Shall we try again?" asks Samara, trying to deflect Shepard's annoyance.

"I think that's enough for today."

Samara makes a hasty exit at this opportunity.

"And EDI?"

"Yes, commander?"

"You can't be disciplined like the rest of the crew, so I want you to devise a way to do so."

There is no comment from the AI.

"That was a joke, EDI."

"Really? If you say so. Perhaps you need some pointers from Jeff."

"Joker? Ha! That's the last place I'd go looking for advice on humour!"

"If you wish to remain poor at it, Shepard, that is your choice."

"Speaking of choice, I think it's best if you reign in your free will a bit while off duty until the crew is used to having an AI with complete freedom. Self control is part of being a good team."

"I am never off duty, commander. While we were talking, I have processed..."

"Semantics EDI, you know what I mean."

"Yes, commander."

"Joker?" Shepard calls on the comm.

"Yes, commander?"

"I'm coming up to the helm. You and I are going to have words."

"What did I do now?"

She closes the channel.

"Don't you dare, EDI. And I don't need to spell that out."

"No, commander."

Shepard leaves the AI core and heads towards the elevator, passing Dr Chakwas who just smiles at her, eyebrows raised. Shepard points at the doctor as she walks through, "Not a word, laughing girl." The doctor mimes zipping her mouth shut, fighting the urge to laugh or mock.

Joker continues to monitor the ship's readouts, awaiting the commander.

"Man, I'm stuck all day at the helm and still, somehow, I'm in trouble. EDI? Any clue what this is all about?"

"You are on your own with this one, Jeff."

"Now the unshackled AI is giving me grief. That's just great. Marvellous."


	17. Chapter 17

"Commander, I'm not so sure this is such a good idea. I never understand what the hell she is on about."

"The one that you call Ashley sings in hues of red and black. We need harmony from another."

"See? What the hell does that even mean? I don't think she was saying she wants to take me to the dance, though."

Verity Shepard turns to Ashley, "Okay, Williams, knock it off. We don't have time for this. I think she's basically saying you need to just chill out. In the meantime, if anything happens to Liara because of your intolerance to the queen... I don't think I need to say any more."

"Hey, she's the one who doesn't like me. I think she made that clear from the start."

"In fact, both of you. Play nice. Williams, you just carry Liara, and queen, you just, well, just don't. Okay?"

"We... do not understand."

"Gah! This was never going to work."

Liara has agreed to be the Rachni Queen's avatar through whom she can speak. Ashley has been charged with protecting and carrying Liara in this vulnerable state. As the queen had already demonstrated on Illium and Noveria, the asari's physiology and melding ability made them ideal for this role. But only implanting memories, as she had before, would not be enough for this current task. The avatar must be either willing or incapacitated, she cannot take control of resistant minds at will. The Rachni Queen has taken direct control of Liara's mind, but only has limited motor control.

They are making their way through a valley, rocks and boulders of all sizes everywhere.

"Our children sing. The black oily ones. There."

After speaking these ethereal words, Liara's arm moves to a pointing position in a very unnerving and unnatural way. She points to the only gap in the rocks ahead of them, a perfect kill zone.

"Take cover. Move Liara out of the way."

EDI scans the area.

"Multiple hostiles, coming from the north west."

"C'mon, missy, let's get you over here."

Ashley moves Liara to behind a rock grouping.

"I heard that, Ash."

"Aw c'mon, Commander, what's wrong with 'missy'? She looks like a 'missy'."

"You ever gonna stop giving her a hard time?"

"They come." Liara says.

Ashley, EDI and Shepard take cover behind a row of boulders. Husks start pushing through the gap. Shepard throws out a singularity right into the centre front of the hole. Ashley begins popping Husks' heads with her sniper rifle while EDI expertly downs a few with her pistol followed up with an incendiary attack. A few run into the singularity and begin floating around the dark sphere, moaning all the while. As soon as charged, Shepard throws a warp attack. The singularity booms and the remaining husks are dispersed over the area. Ashley jumps out of cover and pulls her assault rife from her back to finish off the crawling survivors.

"Williams! Get to Liara! Me and EDI can get these."

The queen leaps a distance of twenty metres, to land amongst the fallen Husks. She begins tearing them apart with her front legs. Soon, there is no movement from them. The queen trots back to the group. They think she looks pleased with herself, but it's hard to say.

"C'mon, miss..." Ashley sees the Commander staring at her, "uuuh... Miss Prothean Expert."

She picks up Liara and carries her.

"Ashley. Did you think that was better somehow? You know she hates that one."

"Well. Now she can't hear me. So what's the diff eh? You can't hear me at all, can you, my little blueberry?" Ashley coos.

"Man, I knew telling you that was a bad idea."

Ashley studies Liara's face.

"Hm. Didn't her freckles used to be more pink?"

"Just shut up now, okay?"

"No fun, Commander."

Shepard turns to speak with the queen, "So, we'll have the support of your troops, er, children when we reach the objective?"

"We will be as one. We will stop the dark oily ones. Our children will come from above."

"You mean north right? Good. Move out!"

The Commander takes point. The queen, Liara and Ashley move as a tight group, with Ashley looking over her with general suspicion, then to Liara, then back to the queen. She's waiting for the next comment, and she's sure the queen is being facetious about her. EDI brings up the rear.

Their objective is a large Cerberus facility, overrun by Reaper forces. They are approaching from the west. The queen has offered her soldiers to take the brunt of the enemy to allow their squad to gain entry, hopefully unimpeded. It seems that Cerberus has developed a sister for the queen and the Reapers want a replacement. Clone or not, she's Rachni.

The queen can almost hear her. A distant song of brown and green. Pain and suffering. But muffled. Muted.

"Green. Brown. Hurry."

"Commander?" Ashley pleads for a translation.

"Double time it."

"Have you been feeding her blueberry pies? This is hard going."

"We don't have time this, LC. Stop it, now!"

The queen speeds ahead of them, the facility now in view. She traverses a larger rock formation with ease to mount the top then stops, raised high on her straightened legs. She waits for the group to catch up.

"Wait. Here."

They are around ten metres now from the end of the rocky valley and the beginning of a further hundred metres of paved area before the facility entrance.

"That's exposed. Zero cover to the facility." Ashley assesses.

"What are we doing?" Shepard asks.

"Waaaaiiiit." Liara says.

The queen pushes out with her mind, searching for her children. To the north of the facility, there is thick foliage. She pushes through it and finds them. She issues her instructions then moves her focus to the facility. She consciously pushes through the concrete and metal exterior, seeing structural detail at an astonishing level. Her massively powerful brain able to process all this information. One of the reasons the hive is able to produce such perfect precision engineering. Few have seen the Rachni's technical abilities in detail, but all would be astounded.

She pushes through to a large spacious area, the gases present giving off an array of colours. If she cared to, she could concentrate on individual elements, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, each a unique colour. She also finds an army of Husks, too many to count but certainly in the hundreds. But she pushes on through interior walls to a further chamber. It's almost clear now. There is still suffering in brown, but she can sing. In the briefest of conversations, the two queens have exchanged more than any other species could, possibly in a lifetime. Memories, feelings, songs, colours, ideas. And purpose. The cloned queen had not been able to make sense of any of her inherited memories due to the powerful suppression of Cerberus chemicals.

But now, she understands. Her ancestral memories coming into focus. Before it had been like an arrhythmic mess. With the help of her sister, now it is like a symphony. Joy.

"Waaaiiit." Liara says again as the queen leaps off the rock, and scuttles off towards the facility.

"What's she doing, Commander?"

"I dunno, LC, let's just do as she asks for now."

The queen stops at the edge of the paved area. The large glass windows of the facility begin to shatter as the Husks pour out.

"Shit, this is bad. I'm moving Liara back."

Ashley jogs to what she hopes is a safer position back from Shepard and EDI.

"Even with strength such as hers, I doubt her chances. Does she hope to stop them all, Commander?" EDI asks with her usual calm tone.

"I've no idea, but I think we should let her take the lead here."

The husks are now a thick wall, charging down the queen's position. She just stands there, slightly bobbing up and down on her legs.

"Is that a rumbling sound?"

The horde of Husks is now beyond halfway to the queen, moaning and screaming horrifically.

"I can detect something, Commander."

"Nooowww." Liara says.

"Uuuuh, Commander?"

Suddenly, the rumbling bursts through the forest to become a sea of Rachni soldiers, moving at incredible speed. They smash into the Husks in a surprise flanking manoeuvre that any general across the millennia would be proud of. The Husks are scattered high into the air and in all directions, the ones at the right flank pushed over like dominoes. Toxic spit is spraying all over them as the seemingly never ending column pushes over them, biting and tearing.

The attack begun, the queen rushes forward, throwing and stabbing any Husk in reach. The Husks are devastated.

"Come, we are ready."

"I think we're ready to go, Commander." Ashley jogs back up to Shepard's position.

"Thanks for your concern about Liara, Ash, I appreciate it."

"What? Screw her. I was protecting my own ass."

"Whatever, Ash. You don't fool me. Let's move up. Slowly."

They walk to the edge of the paved area. There is still some melee on the battlefield, but the soldiers are quickly quelling any stragglers. The queen waits near the building's edge, occasionally stabbing at any husks that crawl near.

The group make their way slowly across the paved area, Shepard and EDI taking down any Husks that head in their direction. The Rachni are dealing with the rest. What was, only a short time ago, a massive horde of dangerous Reaper Husks, is now a sea of broken bodies.

"Glad they're on our side, Commander."

"You said it, LC."

The Rachni divide to allow the group safe passage to the queen. No sooner do they arrive at her position, she scuttles into the facility though the broken windows.

"Looks like we're going inside then." Ashley comments. "Come on, poppet."

"Actually, that one's quite cute."

"And she is cute like this eh? Well, she's not banging on about the protheans anyway."

"You had to ruin the moment."

"I aim to please, Commander."

"EDI?"

"Yes, Commander."

"If I find out that you've recorded any of this to show to Joker, I am spacing that body. You got that?"

"I do not understand, Commander."

"Hmmm, sure you don't. Come on then."

They enter the facility cautiously.

"Watch for hybrid Rachni, who knows what the Reapers have started already."

The queen is impatiently bobbing in the first large reception area.

"Come."

She smashes through the large doors on the far side. The group move up to the doorway.

They find the clone queen much how they found the other one, restrained and writhing.

"Help us. Now."

"Man, she's pushy sometimes."

"Williams!"

Shepard recognises the Reaper panels from Utukka, where they rescued the first Rachni queen. She shoots the panels, releasing the clone queen. The clone queen drops to the ground, looking exhausted. Her sister scurries to her position and begins tenderly removing the remaining tubes still attached. After the tubes are removed and a few more gentle tweaks to ensure her new sister's comfort, the Rachni queen turns to the group.

"We sing. We are in harmony. We will stay. Grow. Build. We will help you two-fold. We release and gift our voice. We thank you."

Liara starts twitching.

"Woah! Commander?"

"Place her down, Ash."

Ashley kicks away some space amongst debris, and places her on the ground.

"Oooh, goddess..."

Shepard kneels over her.

"Take it easy, are you okay?"

"I think... oooh, but I'm a little woozy."

"Take your time, don't get up too quick."

"I don't remember anything but... it feels like she is still in my mind. No, wait, a gift. Memories. She left me some memories."

"Of what?"

"Ooh, it is hard to focus, wait a moment. I do not understand a lot but I think it is songs. Information. Of the Keepers?"

Ashley puzzles, "Songs of the Keepers? What have they... never mind. I never understand any of this stuff anyway."

"Wait, there are more memories. Errr... I can almost... they feel very recent..."

"What is it?" Shepard asks, breathless for what further the queen has provided.

She slowly sits up, then stands with Shepard's assistance. She waits to re-gain her balance, then puts her hands on her hips and frowns.

"Ashley! You rotten thing."

"Told you the queen hates me."

"It seems the Rachni share a sense of humour." EDI chips in.


	18. Chapter 18

“I'm bored! Let's do something.” Aethyta says.

“What do you have in mind?” Benezia asks as they sit in her living room.

“I dunno. Let's hit some bars and see where that takes us.”

“Aethyta? Do I really want to be carrying you home at Goddess knows what time in the morning?”

“Beats sitting around here, don't it?”

“'Doesn't it'.” Benezia corrects.

“I know!”

“Then why do you choose...”

“Nezi, don't start.”

“Why you choose to speak with such vulgarity?”

“Tsk. Thessia. Anyway...”

Aethyta animatedly moves to straddle Benezia's lap.

“I thought you liked it when I'm vulgar.”

“Aethyta!” Benezia attempts to admonish but cannot help also laughing.

“We don't have to go anywhere. We've a bottle or two of brandy right here and we can make our own entertainment, eh?” she says with a wink.

Benezia puts her arms around Aethyta to hug her.

“I am sorry, Aethyta.” she says.

“What for?”

“I know you just want to live with abandon and I hold that back and I am sorry we have to sneak around so, it is not that I am ashamed, you know that?”

“I know. I just get so frustrated with the council. I'm sorry if I make things hard for you. You know it's not because of you, I can't just go with everything that's happening right now.”

“The beacon on Thessia...”

“Nezi...”

“Hm?”

“Shut up.”

Aethyta and Benezia kiss deeply then gaze at each other for a few moments.

“You know...” Aethyta probes with a raised brow, “neither of us is getting any younger.”

“What do you mean? We are Matriarchs in the prime of our lives.”

“Yea, Matriarchs. 'Mother' figures.”

“Oh...”

“You must have thought about it over the years.”

“Well. Yes. But, I had resigned to the fact that it may not happen for me.”

“It's never too late. I've always wanted kids, but you know me, I've been a bit of wastrel in my life, probably not the best start for a kid. But you, you sort of, you know, ground me.”

“Hmmm, I sincerely hope that you do not see me as some sort of caretaker while you continue gallivanting.”

“No! I just mean you've made me ready for this, I'd want to spend every waking moment with you and our daughter.”

“She'd be pureblood.” Benezia warns.

“Tsk. So what? So a few idiots might be a bit sniffy. Screw 'em.”

“Hm.” Benezia gently laughs.

“What?”

“I am reminded now why I love you so.”

“Hm?”

“Despite your brashness,” she says with a wry smile then her face softens, “I do not think I know a more compassionate and open-thinking Matriarch.”

“I wish you'd say that about me in session.”

“You know I cannot, Aethyta.”

“Towing the party line, eh?”

“'Thyta...” Benezia growls.

“I know. Sorry.”

“Anyway, enough of the council, fetch the brandy.”

“Now you're talking.”

Aethyta gets off Benezia's lap and kneels at the low drinks cabinet to find the brandy and glasses, then returns to Benezia still on her knees and begins pouring the drinks.

“I'm serious, you know.”

“You are?”

“Well, yea! I know we're starting late in life but... I love you, Benezia! And to raise a daughter with you, watch her grow, while we grow, together, don't you want that?”

“You make it sound so perfect.” Benezia says with melancholy, “But I do not know.”

“What? What's stopping us? Really?”

“I am cold, Aethyta. We joke but you know this. Can I provide the love and warmth, the play and wonder that a child needs to flourish? I do not know.”

Aethyta knows that it took all her efforts to get Benezia to open up to her, to accept the comfort she offered and eventually give comfort herself.

“And the council.” Benezia continues, “If they knew, there would be a scandal, you know this to be true. Two opposing Matriarchs in secret liaisons, bearing a pureblood child, there would be uproar.”

“Good! It's about time someone stuck a fire under their collective asses!”

“Aethyta!”

“Well? The asari are going nowhere fast. We're like one big joke to most of the galaxy. A planet of dancing girls, screwing anything and everything 'cause we can't help ourselves, the whores of the galaxy, and I'm sick of it! If the council doesn't start reigning all this in, any influence we have will be gone. If it gets out about the beacon, it's game over, Nezi.”

“'Thyta... I thought we were going to talk about something else.”

“Yea... I've said it a million times but it makes no difference.” Aethyta says, placing her head on Benezia's lap.

“Sh, sh, sh. I know you have the best of intentions, 'Thyta, that's not in question.”

“Then what? Really. It's just me here now, Nezi, no other Matriarchs to correct us, me and you. Why?”

“You know I cannot, Nezi.”

Aethyta stands, takes out a cigarette of an ornate box on the coffee table and lights it, taking a deep drag and blowing the smoke up to fall and fill the room. She sits back down next to Benezia and rotates her glass to make the drink spiral and to warm the brandy.

“Can we carry on like this?” Aethyta asks.

“Why are you making everything so complicated today?”

“It's always been complicated, Nez, I think you've only been concentrating on the 'good bits', if you know what I mean.”

Benezia visibly shakes a little, then her arms come up to her chest.

“I'm not good at... I've never really shown...”

“I know. You have trouble expressing yourself.”

“Yes... you know me well, 'Thyta. I do not want this to end though!” Benezia says with a little desperation.

“I know. I'm just talking. I don't want it to end either. I also want to know that we're going somewhere. Like I said, I think I'm ready to have a kid and want to have that kid with you.”

Benezia shuffles a little closer to her love.

“Give me time, 'Thyta. I want this too but... I need time.”

Aethyta throws her arms around Benezia and gives her a big wet kiss on the cheek.

“'Thyta!” Benezia playfully scolds as she wipes the wet patch with her hand.

“I love you, Nezi.”

Benezia smiles coyly, “I love you too, 'Thyta.”

…

The bounce in Aethyta's step has not left her since Liara was born. If Aethyta has anything to do with it, her daughter will prosper, do great things, change the galaxy for the better, everything a parent could wish for their offspring. When she looks at that tiny form in her crib, it's hard to imagine her becoming a full person in her own right, grown up, ready to face whatever the galaxy throws at her. She might be small and vulnerable but Benezia has already begun to overprotect, Aethyta thinks probably to make up for her difficulty in letting her emotions out but they both love their daughter dearly.

As Aethyta approaches the Matriarch Council temple, Matriarch Surese approaches her, looking around as though making sure no-one sees.

“Aethyta. We must talk.”

“A bit cloak and dagger, Surese? What's going on?”

“Not here.” she replies, beckoning with a finger then walks to ornate gardens at the rear of the temple. She stops at a row of flowering shrubs, as though examining them.

“So?” Aethyta prompts.

“I've always supported you, Aethyta.”

“Of course, we go way back. We've always had similar ideals.”

“Indeed. Which is why this is difficult.”

“What is? What's going on?”

“The Matriarchs, the core.”

“Yes?”

“I don't know how to say this but... you're in danger.”

“What?”

“Galactic politics is at a difficult time right now, all are still recovering from not only rachni wars but the subsequent krogan rebellion and our part there. If the asari were found to be withholding Prothean data...”

“Yes? And? Everything I've been saying all along?”

“Oh. Yes, I know, that's the point. They fear you are the one who will expose this.”

“What? Are they out of their minds? Well, yea, I already know they are but this?”

“I'm telling you this because we are friends, Aethyta. Laying low and distancing yourself from public office might cool their heat, and you've a family to think of now?”

“Don't push our friendship, Surese.”

“It is not I who is the threat, Aethyta. I'm giving you the chance to distance yourself from asari politics and put your family out of harms way.”

“They got to you, didn't they. How? Threats to _your_ family?”

“I've said my piece. Please, Aethyta, save yourself, we are old friends and I would hate to see you hurt for being silly.”

“Silly? They say you shouldn't shoot the messenger but screw you, Surese. You of all people should know I'd never take this to the Citadel Council, I've been tempted, by the Goddess I've been tempted but I'm not stupid. I'm well aware of what that'd do to Thessia, what it'd no doubt do to me. So fuck you for selling out to those harpies up there. And if anyone even comes close to Liara, I'm coming for you, Surese. Tell Tevos and her cronies that.” Aethyta storms furiously away.

Arriving home she stops at the front door before entering. What can she say? That her very presence puts her daughter's life at risk? That her mother, regardless of her lofty status would suffer the same fate by association? She places her forehead on the door. Liara. Beautiful Liara. To save her she must sacrifice her own love for her. She turns and walks away from the family home's front door, her tears falling at what she must do.

The door opens.

“'Thyta? I thought I heard something at the door. 'Thyta? Are you alright? 'Thyta!”

Aethyta eventually stops but doesn't turn around. Benezia goes to her.

“You have to hate me.” Aethyta says without emotion.

“What? 'Thyta, stop being silly and come inside.”

“I can't. Ever again. Tevos and the council, they want me out of the picture or... well you know what happens when the full wrath of the Matriarchs is unleashed. I can't put you and Liara at risk like that.”

“'Thyta! When did... this cannot be right. Let me speak with Methia, there must be some sort of mistake.”

Aethyta finally turns to face her, cheeks stained with her tears.

“There's no mistake. We knew we risked all. But I mean it, Nezi. You can't be seen pandering to me in public, you have to stick to your party line, don't arouse suspicion. I'm crass, brash and stand for everything you're against.”

“But... Liara...” Benezia whimpers.

“It's for her we have to do this, Nezi.”

“But I'll be all alone...”

“You'll have Liara. She needs your love more than me, shower her with it, Nezi, please, for me.”

“What about when she asks of her father?”

“I'm sorry, really, I am. I didn't want for this.” she begins to walk away, “I'd write but, you know.”

“Aethyta! Please! Don't go! I'll leave the council, we could go anywhere! Please! I love you! Don't do this to me!” she screams through her tears but Aethyta does not stop, then Benezia hears Liara crying from her crib.

She looks to the open door of their house then back at Aethyta walking now quickly away then returns to the house. She cried it out in desperation but she knows she could never leave her life as a Matriarch. As she returns to pick Liara up to cradle her, she tries to keep a happier demeanour for her daughter but cannot help but sob. Benezia carries her into the living room and places the baby on the couch then sits next to her and tries to smile for her.

She picks Liara up again to place her on a knee and bounces the knee slightly to make Liara giggle. Benezia begins to softly sing, slightly broken and already embarrassed even though it is only she and Liara.

_“Turians like to fight, fight, fight,_  
 _Salarians sneak out of sight, sight, sight,_  
 _Hanar in the water go swish, swish, swish,_  
 _A home world is the quarians' wish, wish, wish,_  
 _But when the krogan are around,_  
 _All other species hit the ground,_  
 _As the krogan only like to kill, kill, kill!”_

Liara laughs loudly and infectiously and the staid Matriarch joins her, then hugs her, and kisses her, then holds her. Just holds her, her beautiful daughter, though the Matriarch cannot help whispering to the young mind within that it is only a song and should not be taken at face value, then at length of the strong and proud people of Tachunka.

“And you've a little krogan in you too! Haven't you?” she tickles the giggling Liara, “Haven't you?”

Reminded of Aethyta, Benezia stops herself from dwelling on the potential quagmire she feels she wants to fall into and carries Liara to place her back in the crib. Liara's little arms reach up for her mother from her bed and Benezia strokes her head, soothing her to sleep.

“Good night, little wing.” she coos, “I shall see you again with the dawn.”


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by an odd screenshot on Steam.

Joker frantically stabs at the controls, trying to get as much power out of the Normandy as he can to escape the chasing wave of colour. The stresses on the core bend and stretch time and space as they move beyond the FTL speeds of any craft that has existed, never before has so much Eezo been discharged at once or as much power gained from a tantalus drive. An alarming beeping sounds, indicating an impending collision. Joker quickly scans the display but the object is only registering slightly, as though it's shifting in and out of space itself. Joker feels his orientation leaving him as the space out of his viewer takes forms and colours he has never seen before, stretched, translucent, strange. The shifting sphere of metal is not large, but large enough to cause a slight shift in direction, a slight shift in placement in this warped reality, and Joker loses control of the Normandy.

…

“What is this place? Anyone know?” Joker asks of the crew as they look at the two moons on the horizon across the dense forest.

“You're the pilot, I thought that you kept track of these things.” James says facetiously.

“Well it's a bit difficult when you're being chased by this unknown powerful force that just exploded out of the Citadel and destroyed the relays, you know? Tends to mess with your orientation somewhat!”

“Okay, Bones, no need to get all defensive.”

“Bones? Really?” Joker stands in an unimpressed crossed armed stance.

“Well, we'd better start looking for supplies, water's the priority but we should see what vegetation's on this planet.” Ashley says.

Liara stabs at her omni-tool.

“Local comms seem to be okay but I'm getting no external networks.”

“Hm.” Ashley ponders, “So did we win?”

“We should know soon enough.” Garrus says pragmatically, “For now, yea, supplies are our main priority. Then, getting the Normandy back in the air.”

“Hope you've brought your tool kit, Tali.” Joker says.

“Is that smoke?” Tali says, looking across the forest canopy.

“A bit contained to be natural, I'd say.” Garrus assesses.

“Hm. Populated then. By who? Or what?” Ashley says with concern.

“Only one way to find out.” Garrus says as he pulls his rifle from his back and steps in the direction of the smoke, “You coming?”

“Hold on there, Garrus. We've no idea what we might find down there.”

“Exactly. I'd rather know what's there than wait for them to come find us. Besides, comms are up, we can keep in contact.”

“Okay, you and me. We can scope things out from distance, get a good reccy. Nothing more, though.”

“Of course.”

“Okay then. I'll report in in one hour.” Ashley informs Liara.

“What if you don't?” she asks.

“Then... I don't know, get the ship running and get the hell outa here before whatever got us comes looking.”

“They must have seen the ship come down.” Joker says.

“They'd be here already, surely then. Whether to rescue us, or finish us off.” Liara says.

“Be careful, Commander.” James says.

“Always, Lieutenant.”

…

“Down.” Ashley hisses, then she and Garrus take cover behind a group of rocks.

“What is it?” Garrus whispers.

“I... give me a sec.”

Ashley slowly looks over the top of the rocks towards a clearing with a quizzical look, then slowly back down to turn to Garrus.

“That's a deer.” she says with surprise.

“A what?”

“A deer. Not just an alien animal that looks like a deer but a deer, a real one. They're from Earth. Where the hell are we?”

Garrus slowly has a look himself. He sees a four legged animal grazing on the long grasses, with a pale brown coat and large protrusions from its head, the antlers, then he returns down again.

“So...” he begins but doesn't really have anywhere to go.

“Yea...” she joins as she looks again.

Suddenly the deer is startled and runs as they hear raised voices followed by booms and bangs, and Garrus and Ashley duck back down again.

“Weapons fire?” Ashley asks.

“Not like any weapons I've ever heard.”

“No...”

Popping their heads up again, they see two figures wearing dark robes in combat. One puts up a barrier.

“That's... not like any barrier I've seen...” Ashley says, confused.

“...and that's not like any tech attack I've seen.” Garrus agrees as one throws a ball of fire at the other and it bounces off the barrier.

The fight continues but the pair of combatants' melee moves away from them as they counter and cover, the two squad members unseen. Ashley and Garrus just look at each other, speechless.

“We'd better keep moving.” Ashley eventually says.

“Hmm.” Garrus agrees.

They continue on and arrive at a cobbled road cutting through the forest.

“Civilization?”

“Not if those two guys were anything to go by.”

“You know what I mean.”

A figure rounds a bend in the road.

“Someone's coming.” Ashley says.

“Great. They've certainly seen us.”

“Plan?”

“See what they want, play it by ear?”

“Sounds good to me. There's only one guy.”

They stand nonchalant, waiting for this person to arrive at them. As the figure gets closer they begin to make out the detail.

“You seen that type of armour before?” Garrus asks of the strange armour the figure wears.

“Well... yea... but...”

“What?”

“The era...?”

“What?”

The figure is now close to their position, Ashley has her pistol in hand. He stops before them and looks a moment, peering through his dull metal helmet's mask, as though assessing them then he clears his throat.

“I used to be an adventurer like you, then I took an arrow to the knee.” he announces, then looks more closely at Garrus.

“Argonian?”

“Uhhh... no... I'm from elsewhere.”

“You don't look like a cat.”

“What?”

An almighty boom rings out across the land followed by a screaming voice.

“Spaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaace!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry. Putting this in cross-over would ruin the piece so I've presented it thus.


	20. Chapter 20

“Okay, people, keep it moving.” Officer Trent calls out to the crews loading the craft. Keeping this operation under wraps hasn't been easy, all and sundry seem to know about the Crucible project. The officer barks his orders, nervous of some of the passengers destined for his deck. Despite the assurances given, Officer Trent has to muster all his bravado to keep face in front of his subordinates. A clattering sound rings from down a wide passageway, causing an involuntary sharp inhale from Trent.

“Sir?” one of the junior officers asks, “Is that them?”

“I sure as hell hope so, son, or you'd better ready your sidearm.”

“Yes, sir.” the junior smiles.

Trent moves towards the passage to stand at ease and 'greet' the passengers, tapping the datapad in his hands, as much so he can turn away from his crew and hide his worry. The clattering sound increases with faint squawks and hisses, also getting louder, until four rachni scurry out of a side passage with a squad of eight marines guiding them, looking as nervous as Trent, which he is thankful for. The commanding marine approaches and salutes Trent.

“They're all yours, sir.” he says, showing his relief to be rid of them.

“Gee, thanks.” he casually returns the salute.

“We named the lead one 'Snappy'.” the commander says as with pride then turns and winds up his hand to round up his squad, “We're out of here.”

Snappy now approaches Trent, stopping just a few feet away, then looks left and right at the various craft being loaded. Trent can't be certain, but he's sure the creature before him is asking which is their ride.

“Ahhhhh...” he looks at his datapad, double-checking the ship they will be transported on then is about to indicate but the rachni have begun scuttling away.

“Err... where you going, huh? Your ship's not that way!” he looks down the way to see where they are headed.

A lone Keeper is working on a panel on a data conduit channelling through the hangar. The rachni approach the Keeper quickly, then surround it, chattering amongst themselves.

“Err... hey! What're you doing? That's only a Keeper! They're okay!” Trent now runs towards them.

The Keeper turns from its work to face them. Trent can hardly believe it when the Keeper seemingly smiles and nods serenely to each of the rachni, who study, sniff and investigate the Citadel's caretaker.

“Sir?” a security officer asks as he follows and readies his weapon.

“Hold fire, soldier.” he waves the officer back.

By the time Trent arrives, the chattering of the rachni has subdued, and the Keeper seems to be gesticulating, the rachni mesmerized. Watching this exchange for a moment, Trent tentatively approaches to attract the rachnis' attention.

“We all good?” he asks.

Snappy turns to face him and lets out a barking hiss upwards but not aggressively, then makes its way back the way they came, the others join him as they trot back. Were there a rachni equivalent of 'cocking a snook', then Trent is certain Snappy did so as it passed the security officer. The Keeper returns to its work, still seemingly smiling, though Trent isn't certain; they always seem to have a blissful look on their faces. He looks back one last time at the Keeper happily working away, then returns to join the rachni, whose chattering seems even more lively than before.

Conjecture based on rumour is not the best basis for any theory but having heard of the great technical ability of the rachni, and the rumours of ancient genetic meddling, and as he looks at the multi-limbed Keeper, and the knowing exchange that just took place, he ponders.

“Okay, Snappy, if you can get your people onto the Demistar there,” he points with his datapad, “we can get this show on the road. Oh, and I'd appreciate it if there aren't any more surprise visits with the family, okay?”

Snappy turns to his group, seemingly issues orders, then they trot towards the craft's apprehensive looking cargo crew and security detail, then board the Demistar. Trent watches to ensure they board without event then returns to his crew, shouting out at no-one in particular.

“Why couldn't have a normal war? Us and them! There's the enemy, bang, bang, someone wins, war over, something like that? Nooo, we gotta have an intergalactic, all-species, ancient hyper-intelligent robots, last hope for all of humanity war! Hughes!”

“Yes, sir.” a young crewman steps up.

“Brew up! I think we've earned it.”

“Yes, sir!”


	21. It isn't easy being blue (lyrics)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alternative lyrics to the Kermit the Frog classic "It isn't easy being green", with a Liara slant.

Greetings! Doctor Liara T'Soni here, and today I would like to tell you a little bit about the colour blue. Do you know what is blue? Well I am for one thing. You see, asari are blue, and I'm an asari. And that means I am blue, you see?

It's not that easy being blue  
Having to spend each day this particular hue  
When I think it could be easier being black or brown or white  
Or something much less colourful  
Like that.

It's not that easy being blue  
It seems you stand out like some extraordinary thing  
And other races tend to stop and stare 'cause you're  
Standing out like flashy sparkles in the water  
Or stars in the sky.

But blue's the colour of winter  
And blue can be cold and serious-like  
And blue can be small like a raindrop  
Or lowly like a berry  
Or blue can just be.

When blue is all there is to be  
It could make you wonder why  
But why wonder, why wonder?  
I'm blue and it'll do fine  
It's beautiful!

And I think it's what I want to be!


	22. Chapter 22

Samara sits facing the great void at the observation window of the craft destined for Sol and the Reapers. She thanks whatever greater power that may be left out there that she does not have recall like drell. What she can see in her mind already is enough. The anger. The rage. It stayed with her after her daughters were manhandled away to the temple, desperately calling for their mother. She fuelled the rage, allowed the slaughter justified by the Code, but knowing she was lying to herself. Samara once told Shepard she could recall every life she took and mourned them all. She lied. There were too many to count, too many to care any more, just that she was able to release the rage at her beautiful daughters' plight.

It escalated when Morinth began taking lives, throwing them away like nothing. Samara blamed herself for allowing it to happen. The occasional face of her own victims, pleading for their lives still flashes in her mind. Pleading before she coldly extinguished their life for the Code by whatever means she could employ, accompanied by her prayer. Do Javik's assertions about the asari change anything? That the Goddess cannot be offended by Samara's actions does not alleviate the guilt or pain. The most vivid and painful of her 'executions' flashes by far too often. The face that was the first to call her mother. The one that once put her little hand in hers for safety, for love. Samara stove that beautiful little girl's face in.

How many did Morinth indiscriminately kill for a disease? How many has Samara killed without prejudice for doctrine? Is one really any better than the other, in the great scheme of things, on the scale of a universe? That answer may never be known, not now that there is no Goddess. Or Code. For the first time in centuries, there will just be Samara. It terrifies her what to do now. As long as the Reapers are here, she can channel it. But after, if they are victorious, what will she do then?

…

There hasn't been any further Reaper drops but for safety, she still sleeps and spends most of her time on the maintenance walkway of the elevator; it's not at ground level at least. Falere is watching a vid she found in one of the Matriarch's offices, then she frowns and shakes the datapad.

“Oh...” she says with worry, looking up the shaft, knowing it is night time and the sun cannot charge her pad then she sighs, “Early night it is then.”

Falere climbs into her sleeping bag and rolls onto her side, hugging her aching, empty stomach in an attempt to soothe it. Her meagre crops in the monastery gardens will still not be edible for at least a further two weeks and her provisions are running low. In the vid she had been watching, two asari had made romantic declarations to each other over a fine, sumptuous dinner. Normally she'd watch random vids to take her mind off her predicament but despite the distraction of the glamorous and exotic show, the meal just made Falere feel hungrier so perhaps it was for the best that the power drained from the pad.

Even though some months have passed since her mother came and went, Falere still fears the Reapers' return. Despite her protestations to Samara, Falere knows she would stand little hope against a full Reaper drop of ground forces. To take her own life before they could change her, she is not certain she has it within her. She has thought deeply on this. Rila was not herself when the Reaper mutations took hold and Falere hopes that if the worst comes to the worst, then at least she won't be aware of anything afterwards and not locked within but aware while reaping lives where demanded.

There is a noise from above and Falere's cycle of fear and paranoia begins. She sits up, turning her head slowly this way and that to try and hear as much as she can, and as always, she cannot be certain whether it is something or nothing, not without looking. She lays back down again, telling herself that not only has there never been any cause for concern from the noises above, no doubt some random article blown along the forecourt, what could she do anyway? She tries to think of something else. The vid she was watching. Plush couches, soft lighting, beautiful people, sheer sheets on large beds, luxurious food, it is like torture. Falere whimpers a little, a few tears dropping. Normally, she'd shed a few tears then carry on, but tonight she wants to let it out and shudders in her sleeping bag, groaning with desperation at her plight then stops to look above with dampened wide eyes and a quickened breathe, terrified her noises may have drawn attention from the horrors that may lie there yet.

Falere lays her head back down, then up again, listening, then down, then up until she frustratedly unwraps herself from the sleeping bag and hastily climbs the ladder. Reaching the top, she pops her head over the top to look. Nothing. Wearing only a vest and pants, she slowly clears the top of the ladder to stand on the courtyard with a feral look and her fists clenched.

“Come on, then!” she screams. “I'm here!”

She waits with a look of horror at what she has just done, and what may come. Nothing. Then she shudders. The breeze is cold. She wants to stay here now, closer to where the source of any dangers that may be to give herself maximum forewarning. But it's cold. Her hungered state makes combating the cold difficult, unnecessarily using up any resources stored in her body. Reluctantly, she returns to the ladder, which she now realises is very cold to the touch and as she descends her hands begin to feel frozen. Reaching her 'home', Falere commences taking all her clothes from her holdall and dressing herself in several layers, then returns to hugging herself in the sleeping bag.

“Mother...”

…

“Justicar.” Methia greets from her desk with a patronising smile as Samara enters the Matriarch's sparse minimalist offices but she remains seated.

“There is no Order.” Samara simply replies and paces to stand in front of the desk, nonchalant in her provocative red armour.

“Indeed. That is why I have asked that you come speak with me.”

“I see.” Samara states with calm indifference.

“What are your plans now? With the Reapers defeated, the Justicar Order disbanded, Commander Shepard no longer calling you away, what are your intentions? The Council of Matriarchs...”

“Oh." Samara chuckles to interrupt with a roll of her eyes. "Them...”

“Quite.” Methia frowns at Samara's aloof attitude. “We could use an asari of your talents.”

“I bet you could.”

“You're becoming like Aethyta, you know that?”

A frown of disgust comes across Samara's face, “At least you know which side of the fence I am on. Not like that...” Samara stops herself from saying anything unnecessarily defamatory, “But in answer to your request, no. I intend to return to the Terminus Systems.”

“You see, this is when things can become... difficult. You running whatever operations you see fit on their borders may conflict with the intentions of the Matriarch Council.”

“You intend occupation?”

“We don't intend anything right now, but we don't rule anything out either. Having you on the other side of the border, under the genuine guise of your version of humanitarianism, conducting work for the council would be most beneficial to the continuation of asari domination in the galaxy.”

“And you make my point beautifully.”

“But what would it take? I know credits are meaningless to you. What's Samara's price?”

There is only one thing of real worth to Samara, beyond the selfless work she does. With the Goddess Athame destroyed by an ancient culture's avatar, there is only the value of that which can be seen, be held, be loved.

“Falere. I want custody of my daughter.”

“An Ardat Yakshi on the loose?” Methia stands and raises a halting hand, “No, no, no. It's too much of a risk and sets a dangerous precedent.”

“You know I have it within me if the action is needed.”

“You're serious.”

“I know my daughter, Methia. As she is, Falere poses no risk and shows no signs of doing so. If that were to change, the Code and I would agree on this matter.”

Methia's eyes twitch left, then right, staring down Samara, assessing.

“If the matter of her release is an issue, I would be happy to assist in that regard to save face.” Samara offers with a smile.

Methia's palm comes up to her face then slowly draws down to her chin.

“Now a prison break?”

“I have experience.” Samara again offers, this time more purposefully facetious.

“By the Goddess, what happened to you Samara?”

“I do not know to what you refer.” Samara pouts.

“Samara the Justicar. Unwavering sense of duty? Dedicated to the Justicar Code and the Goddess-”

“Do you know how many I've murdered in the name of the Code?” Samara interrupts with a vicious glare, “The Code said kill, so I killed, regardless of whether it could have been avoided. I killed my own beautiful daughter for a disease because she refused to be locked away and forgotten about. We lock our sick daughters up like beasts for a condition brought upon them by nothing other than blind chance, regardless of whether they have dark urges or not. There is no embrace of the Goddess, only ancient genetic meddling. My daughter deserves a life beyond a monastery and I shall give her that.”

Methia huffs and puffs a few times then lets out a final breathe.

“I was given authority to meet any demands you may make.”

“Good. Then the matter is concluded.” Samara says, then turns to leave.

“May we at least get a heads up as to when you may 'visit' the monastery?” Methia calls after her.

Samara stops to look over her shoulder, now with a grin.

“Now that'd spoil all the fun, wouldn't it?” and she continues on her way.

“We've only just refurbished the place!”

…

Samara enters the dormitory room to find it empty, the monastery's alarms ringing through the halls. She looks back through the doorway, then hears a muffled sound from under the bed and goes to investigate. Dropping to squat, Samara finds Falere hiding there, eyes wide and feral.

“Falere?”

“Mother!”

“Why are you...?”

“When I heard biotics I thought-”

Falere slides herself out, then throws herself into a hug with her mother.

“I thought it was the Reapers.”

“The Reapers are defeated, my child.”

“I know... but... I know.” Falere releases their embrace. “Why are you here?”

“I wish to take you away from this place and for you to be a daughter to a mother.”

“What?”

“I want my daughter to have a life beyond this monastery and the Ardat Yakshi.”

“But... what life will I have?” Falere feebly asks.

“Any life you want!” Samara enthuses.

“But... I can't have the life I want.”

“You can still have a life-”

“And if I meet someone?” Falere interrupts sternly, then looks away, “I don't want to go through that.”

“I... see.” Samara says, realising now she may not know her daughter as well as she should.

“I want to be with you, mother, as a proper family. I want to see the sights of the Citadel, Illium, Omega, everywhere! I want to go out there and find out what goes on in the universe for myself, and everything it has to offer but... I know I never can.”

“Forgive me, Falere. Perhaps in my enthusiasm, I did not fully think this decision through.”

Falere attempts a smile, “I do miss you, mother.”

Samara takes cover at the doorway when they hear a security detail's footsteps.

“I am sorry, Falere.” Samara says with a softer face, “I love you.” then she is off through the corridors.

…

Despite this misadvanture, Samara attempts to reconcile with Methia via vid-com before she moves on to the Terminus Systems, and hopefully out of the Matriarch's sphere of influence.

“The council was not best pleased, as I'm sure you can imagine.”

“No.” Samara concedes.

“And the problem of 'you' still exists.”

“I will not do the Matriarch's dirty work, Methia.”

“Are you aware of the facility of Nu'la?” the Matriarch poses.

“You wouldn't.” Samara's face changes to barely contained rage.

“The Ardat Yakshi at Nu'la are quite a different case, I'm sure you'll agree.”

“You can't send her there!”

“An Ardat Yakshi with a rogue former Justicar and Cerberus operative who has already attempted to free her, the council could see that as a future risk. Far better to send her off to Nu'la, for the safety of the monastery and the public, of course.”

“Nu'la is more like a sanatorium than a monastery! Those who have become violent and feral! Falere does not belong there!”

“Well then. It seems we've reached in impasse.”

“What would you have me do?” Samara's head lowers in submission.


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seems I have a lot to say about Samara and her family at the moment. (For clarity, unrelated to previous chapt.)

“Reapers!” Falere screams with terror as she runs through the monastery main hall, the officials and fellow Ardat Yakshi looking at her very strangely.

“Falere?” her counsellor attempts to calm her, “It's alright.”

Falere throws her arms around the Matriarch, clutching tightly.

“Reapers!” she screams again, then crumples to the floor in tears.

Visible through the large windowed wall of the hall, a Sovereign class Reaper has landed but does not appear to be attacking.

“What's it doing?” Falere now manically directs to the AI on her hands and knees, “Why isn't it attacking?”

“The Reapers are no longer a malevolent force, Falere. It is here to help re-build the monastery.”

“What?!” Falere can hardly believe what she is hearing. “But... It's a Reaper!”

“Falere...”

“They're killing machines!”

“That was then, Falere. Now, they are no longer a threat and seek only to assist.”

“Until when? Until they decide to start killing again?!”

“Falere...”

Falere jumps up and runs with wild eyes from the hall towards the windows and straight out of an open door towards the behemoth. She keeps running until she is at its feet, then stands there, breathing heavily and purposefully, just looking up at it. She picks up a rock and throws it at the massive AI with all her might, which makes a slight 'tink' noise when it hits the Reaper but causes zero harm.

“Come on, then!” she screams at it, “Do what you do, you bastard!”

The Reaper lets out a muffled parp but seems to ignore her.

“Falere!” the Matriarch shouts more sternly, having caught up with her.

Falere looks back at her, or rather, looks right through her, then returns to staring down the Reaper. The Matriarch places her hand on Falere's shoulder.

“Falere, I know this must be difficult.”

Falere turns her head give her an evil look.

“Do you know what they did to my sister, to the other Ardat Yakshi here? What I've been through! And you expect me to just accept this?!”

A blinding pain hits Falere's head, then calmness in the dark void she finds herself in.

“Falere.” a voice addresses her in the ether.

“Shepard?” Falere recognises the voice, despite its unnatural sound.

“This is the solution we chose, to control the Reapers. We are truly sorry if I have caused you any suffering. Our knowledge informs us that Shepard would not want this distress for you, and she held you in high regard, such as a mother. If this is too difficult, we shall leave.”

“You're in that... thing?”

“The essence of the entity know to you as Shepard is within us. We share her thoughts and wants.”

“But... is it safe?”

“We will not allow the harvest to re-commence.”

“What about the Banshees? The Husks? The other horrors you brought on our galaxy?”

“The mutated have been culled.”

“You killed them all?”

“There was no other solution. Shepard would say it was the humanitarian course of action.”

“Hm...” Falere assesses, then eventually says apologetically, “You don't have to leave.”

“We will conduct our work quickly.” the voice simply states and the void falls away.

“Falere?”

Falere finds herself on the ground with the Matriarch stooped over her with concern.

“Falere? What happened? You just... dropped!”

“It's alright.” Falere smiles as the Matriarch helps her up, then with a grinning laugh and she gives the 'foot' of the Reaper a couple of playful taps with her palm. “It's just Commander Shepard.”


	24. Chapter 24

The guest's fake confidence disturbs even herself a little. Smooth words, seductive motions, perfectly timed laughs and 'looks'. It disturbs but also excites her that it is all coming so easily and working to such great effect. They would say it is wrong but to her, it is just the nature of the beast. And a beast is how they see her and would cage her for how she was born. Is even the varren so imprisoned for acting out its genes' will, just in case innocents are harmed?

“I have nowhere to stay tonight...” the guest allows the statement to linger teasingly, sitting casually back on the couch in the plush Nos Astra apartment.

“Well that doesn't seem right.” the asari host sits forward with a leering smile, the drink loosening her sensibilities as her eyes linger on the full cleavage of her guest, so blue and mottled.

She has to start somewhere and a plain port administration girl should prove no challenge if it comes to it. The guest sits forward herself to allow her breasts to hang a little, which has the desired effect by the host's reaction, then looks up just with black eyes to continue, feeling the need, confidence and power rising in herself.

“Give in to me.” she says with a sinister look.

“I...” is as much as the asari can utter.

Unsure how much will she has over her host, she continues the ruse of titillation. The guest moves cat-like to straddle the girl, then slowly unzips the front of her black catsuit.

“You belong to me.” she continues and she feels her will extending with a jolt, causing her blue-grey eyes to flick to black.

As the guest's breasts fall from the restraint of the clothing, the host lets out a small involuntary whimper as her head is pulled between them. The guest feels the will gone from her host. This is what she needed. This is what she needs. Now.

Muffled noises come from beneath her powerful chest as she allows her genes to do their work, taking this entity's very being. There is pleasure there, no doubt, and she can feel her prey's too as their nervous systems intertwine. The host's weakened body writhes as the predator gasps out at the climax of her prey's demise, the sensations of the final spasms almost overwhelming until her victim is still.

She keeps hold of the lifeless body, her own still writhing a little, the last judders of pleasure until she finally releases the head from her breasts and the corpse flops back. She gasps a few times, trying to catch her breath as she feels the release she has been craving. The host looks exactly how one would imagine a figure would look if they had just had the very life-force sucked from their being; drawn, terrified, ruptured vessels on the surface of the skin, the expression of one that had seen death itself. She zips up her catsuit and stands, brushing off any doubts.

“Well, Morinth.” she says to the lifeless body, “Sorry to leave you like that.”

She doesn't know if it's part of the experience or just how one would normally feel after taking a life, but the blood pounding through her veins feels good. Excitement. Elation. Enjoying even her own horror at her own actions. All the feelings. How can this be wrong? She takes the glass she was drinking from to the kitchen area to wash away her presence here then goes back to the living room and stands, surveying, unsure what to do next. Credits are always useful. Reluctantly, she goes back to the terrified cadaver, lifts her arm and activates the omni-tool.

“Well, you don't need it now, do you?” she says with mock apology.

A last scan of the apartment and she leaves. Only getting a few yards, the cool air and the normality of the night is like a punch to her gut. She flings her back to a wall to steady her weakening legs, fighting tears at what she is, what she has now committed to becoming.

“No.” she asserts, then stands and forces calm on herself, “No...”

Pushing that small girl's doubts to the back of her mind, she continues to walk confidently into the city's streets with an exaggerated, feminine swing in her hip and a smile of abandon. Next time, someone attractive. Someone she wants. That'll be delicious. But with all this killing and the Justicars no doubt hunting her, including her mother, a new identity will be needed. What was her host's name again? Morinth?


	25. Chapter 25

Charged by the Council, Spectre operatives Verity Shepard and Ashley Williams are hunting batarian dissidents unwilling to accept the new inclusive galaxy and rule from the Citadel after the Reapers were repelled. Aboard a cargo ship destined for Omega, the Spectres have traced a consignment of explosives destined for terrorists' hands and now hunt the cargo's fleeing chaperone.

“Head left.” Shepard commands, indicating through the cargo bay with her open hand.

“You head left.” Ashley petulantly replies as she stops.

“What?”

“Who put you in charge of this operation?”

“Ummm... Command?” Shepard replies, surprised by this sudden insubordination.

“This is a Council operation.”

“So?”

“So we're equal rank; Spectre.”

“Ugh...” Shepard voices with tired desperation, “Really? You want to pull rank? Or 'not-rank'. Or whatever this is?”

“Well? I thought it'd be a nice change for me to command a mission, and as we're not, you know, 'technically' under Alliance regs...”

“Hmm.” Verity sounds with a frown then concedes, raising her hands, “Fair enough. 'Commander'.”

“Okay, then! So er...?” Ashley hesitates.

“What now?”

“What was the plan with me heading left?”

Shepard laughs sarcastically as she walks past Ashley, patronisingly patting her on the back as she passes, “See? You're a good commander already, ready to learn from those more experienced...”

“Shut up.”


	26. Chapter 26

The initial shuttle journey to the Charon relay and one jump. General Petrovsky is certain he is in a relay system, and also quite sure which one, despite being hooded by his captors the whole time. That someone would go to so much trouble to break him out of the Earth Systems Alliance penal facility indicates to him who the perpetrator no doubt is. It's just the 'why' he is pondering now.

After walking this current leg on whatever craft he heard the shuttle dock with, his captors push him forward and he surmises that his journey is over, but still unable to see due to the cloth bag over his head and his hands bound behind him. The room is quite still and silent once the doors shut, then clicking heeled footsteps approach him. The General feels the bag being pulled from his head. His eyes still becoming accustomed the light, he sees just a haze of blue, which confirms that which he had already suspected.

“Aria.” he greets her as she comes into focus.

“General.” she replies with a smug nod.

“So to what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?” the rough bearded Petrovsky continues quite cordially, certain his demise is imminent.

“Oh, you know, now the war's over I'm just catching up with old friends.”

Able to see his surroundings now, the General finds he is on the command deck of some sort of frigate, probably batarian.

“A little elaborate, Aria? Even for you. A thug with a shiv would have sufficed.”

Aria gently laughs and goes to his rear to remove the restraints, then walks to her command chair to sit.

“I...” he begins as he rubs his wrists to soothe them but unsure what to say; Aria doesn't do anything without good reason.

“What did you believe, General?” she asks.

“What?”

“Cerberus, The Illusive Man, the Reapers, why were you in the game?”

“Cerberus needed an experienced General. I accepted their generous offer.” he says facetiously.

“No, no, that's not how Cerberus worked.”

“You want to know my politics?”

“Now let's not get too serious but-”

“The Citadel Council,” he interrupts, “is no better than any other fascistic organisation. They carry the façade of democracy and inclusion but rely on the Sarens and Shepards to do their dirty work to ensure absolute compliance from their subjects. What the Illusive Man was doing was unsustainable, no forethought for society or continuity. It was my hope that we could bring about the brave new world for all.”

“Oh!” Aria says excitedly, “You were already planning your own coup. How delicious!”

“Hmm,” he frowns then says quite sternly, “What are you doing, Aria?”

“Sounds like you had quite the plan, General.”

“Aria?” a voice comes over the comm.

“Go ahead.”

“Doctor T'Soni has arrived.”

“Excellent. Send her right in.”

“Are you going to enlighten me at some point, Aria?” Petrovsky sighs.

“We've just been waiting for my friend. All in the fullness of time, General.”

“Well if you're not going to kill me, can I at least eat and clean myself up at some point?”

“Yea, yea, quit whining, you can trim your beard later.”

The General cannot help but smirk at her comment. Indeed, if there's one thing he's wanted to do since being incarcerated, it's trim his beard. Properly. With hot water, and lather, and a clean fresh blade, not the mass effect field nonsense the facility insisted upon. The doors open and Liara walks confidently in, until knocked a little by the presence of the General.

“This is your support?” she says.

“What? He's a General with no love for the Citadel.”

In unison, both Liara and Petrovsky hold their hand to their head to sigh in exasperation.

“Aria, I have not agreed to anything, nor have I been told what I may or may not agree to. So, please, what in the hell is going on?” the General protests.

“Where the Illusive Man failed...” Aria begins then offers to Liara.

“We want to succeed.” Liara completes.

“The Citadel has held sway for long enough,” Aria says, “Like you say, it's time for a new order.”

“Doctor T'Soni?” the General asks her, wanting to know why she would be so involved in such a dark plot. Knowing this is his question, Liara pauses as though in thought for a moment.

“I know the Council and they cannot be trusted. What Tevos did, withholding the Thessian beacon until it was too late was...” her mood changes to one of anger, “unforgivable! It cost us Thessia, it nearly cost us the war, caused countless deaths, it cost me my father... and all for pointless political sway! The Council have meddled for centuries just to ensure their own seat of power and it's about time they were reminded how transient power is in the galaxy. But...” Liara directs at Aria.

“What?” Aria asks.

“A Cerberus General? It wouldn't look good.”

“He's experienced, more experienced than anyone else we could get.”

“Oh I don't know, Aria.” he says, “You did well enough at Omega.”

“Yea but you didn't have the Destiny's Ascension backed by the human and turian fleets.”

“Hm.” he chuckles, “Indeed. So you wish to take power by force?”

“No. I intend to wipe the Citadel off the map. They've almost rebuilt most of it, back to fully operational. We can't have that.”

“What do you mean?” he asks with concern.

“Do you know what the Citadel is, General?” Liara asks.

“From what little information I've been receiving lately, I believe it's a large powerful relay.”

“Indeed. Reaper tech.”

“You can't mean...”

“It's only a matter of time until the Council seek out the true mysteries of the Citadel and use them for their own ends. They'd become insurmountably powerful if that happens. So we're ensuring that that doesn't happen and cannot ever again. To finally free the galaxy of the remnants of Reaper control.”

“Well, General, you've got the gist.” Aria says. “You in?”


	27. Hunters 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some old stuff I had high ideas for as an episodic kind of thing which was abandoned so posting here as a 'short story'. I have too many ME AUs...

A shuttle descends onto the harsh desert planet, a fierce sandstorm whirling around. It lands near a solitary pre-fabricated habitation, causing further plumes of the red sand to spiral around. The shuttle door opens and a figure in a hooded cloak exits, pulling the hood around themselves tightly to avoid the worst effects of the storm as they head towards the shelter. The owner of this simple shelter steps out of his doorway, blinking his four eyes against the flying sand.

“You chose a terrible day to visit!” he shouts through the wind.

“Every day is terrible here! I do not know why you chose to live here, Javik!”

“So I can avoid visits from people like you, Doctor T'Soni! Hahaha! Come! Inside! Quickly! Out of this storm!”

Javik ushers Liara into the humble shelter and the wind settles to a low rumble as the door shuts. The décor is Spartan, with only a bed and a desk housing Javik's precious memory shard. A pistol lies next to the shard.

“Goddess! I thinks that's the worst I've seen so far.” Liara says as she shakes the sand from her hood.

“Ha! I am used to it. So. Doctor T'Soni. Are you here to discuss prothean culture?”

“Hmm. Yes and no.”

“Oh?”

Liara has a concerned look on her face and attempts to speak a few times amidst quizzical looks at Javik.

“Well?” Javik says with impatience, his social skills still lacking somewhat.

“We've made a discovery.”

“Yes?”

“Prothean.”

“Oh? More archives?”

“No. Not exactly.”

“Doctor T'Soni, you try my patience. If you have something to tell me...”

“I think it's like Ilos or Eden Prime.” she suddenly blurts out.

“What?”

“I think we may have found...”

“Protheans in stasis?” he says in disbelief.

“It needs confirming but... all my studies into the Ilos facility, from the scans of the new site, I'm not sure what else it could be. We've only scans at the moment so I'm going to send a team to investigate but... Javik...”

“My people...” he says with a gaze into the middle distance.

“Javik...” she says again, to return his attention to the now.

“Yes?”

“I couldn't not tell you this.” Liara says with some resignation.

“Of course.” Javik agrees, then with some suspicion, “What do you mean?”

“Your people. They might not...”

“I know.” he says, realising what she will say.

“Oh?”

“To resurrect a million protheans now could be a disaster of galactic proportions. I am well aware of that. If your findings are correct, do I wish to bring my people back? Of course I do. Will I? Aaah. That is not so simple. Would they wish to live as an equal along side the other races in your inclusive galaxy? I could not say. They have not known this cycle as I have.”

“We have no idea how many might be down there or if their pods are even still functioning but I am glad that you are at least aware of the potential harm this could cause.”

“If it is confirmed then I shall go there. I shall assess this for myself.”

“We.”

“What?”

“We shall assess this. Together.”

“Very well. But I shall decide the fate of my own people.”

“Just... be aware of what we fought for, what we just sacrificed so much for.”

“You doubt my intentions?”

“Let's just see first, shall we?” Liara says, trying to avoid the potential confrontation with Javik over this.

“Yes. And...” Javik begins, then after a pregnant pause. “Thank you. I appreciate that you thought you that could bring this to me.”

“I know it cannot be easy to imagine all your brothers and sisters held in stasis like that but...”

“I have already said. I understand your concern.”

“Good. Well, if nothing else, we'll have some interesting information to add to our studies!”

“Indeed. Though in all honesty, Doctor T'Soni, such amusements are far from my mind.”

Liara looks to the pistol that sits with the memory shard, aware of some of the intentions he had stated in London.

“Are you okay out here, Javik?”

“Yes, yes, I am fine. I prefer the solitude and in this desolate place, there are few memories to disturb me. But what of you? How are you, Liara T'Soni? It may be some time now but it is not easy to lose a loved one.”

“I'm okay." Liara sighs, "I will not say it is easy. It's not. But thank you for asking, really. It's just... the not knowing. If I knew how she'd died then maybe I could move on, get some closure. Goddess, some days I convince myself that we do not really know if she is even dead at all and that one day, she will turn up out of the blue! But... I know. I am not deluded. I just miss her so...”

“Be proud of her sacrifice, Liara T'Soni. Commander Shepard was a fierce warrior.”

“I know... and I am... thank you, Javik.”

...

“Charlotte Jones, sir!” she shouts with some gusto at the turian pilot of the Disciple, a medium sized craft reportedly built from debris of the various Reaper battles. It looks to be state of the art, though a little sparse on fittings inside with open panels exposing the ship's innards. It is docked at the Omega mining facility.

“Woah! Save it for someone who cares! Back there.” the pilot indicates by pointing his thumb towards the back of the craft.

“Thank you, sir!”

Charlotte heads towards to back of the craft to where she would expect a CIC to be.

“I ain't no 'sir'. I just pilot the ship.” he mutters to himself.

Charlotte finds the emergency lit CIC empty and a far door open with sounds of activity from within. The galaxy map appears to be working and lit up but there is no busy activity around the CIC like she would expect on an Alliance ship, though this is not an Alliance ship.

“Can't you two at least help? Just help me look, that's all I'm asking!” a female voice emanates from within the doorway. Charlotte remains unseen as two short, bare-footed asari figures in loose flowing smocks step into view in the doorway with their backs to her, holding hands.

“What shall we do?” the asari ask in unison.

“Oh. Good.” the voice from within says with surprise. “I'm looking for a black case, about this big. It's in one of the crates here, it has to be.”

Charlotte walks hesitantly towards the doorway.

“Hello?” she calls out.

The two asari turn to look at her with wide eyes, staring and possibly terrified, Charlotte isn't quite sure. They move closer together, shivering slightly.

“Miranda...?” they say as they then scurry further into the room and away this stranger.

“Who's there?” the other voice calls from within.

“Hello? Charlotte Jones, I was told to meet you here on this ship?” she replies, stepping up to the doorway.

“Ah!” the voice now marches to her, a striking dark haired figure in tight fitting white casual armour with black trim. “Good. We were hoping to get this show on the road ASAP and it seems like we can now. Miranda Lawson.”

Miranda holds out her hand to Charlotte and they shake.

“So. Alliance not cutting it for you?” Miranda asks.

“I'm still loyal but they just don't have the postings I need. I helped out with the colonies for a while then this came up and I thought, hell, why not? About time I was kicking ass in the galaxy again and who better than Cerberus?”

The two asari have begun searching through crates, slowly but methodically. Each item they move fills them with a childlike fascination, though they never release each other's hands.

“What's with the er...” Charlotte says quietly as she gestures towards the asari.

“Oh, the twins? Don't mind them, I'll fill you in on the team later. For now, I'll tell Grellus to head to our first co-ordinates.”

“Already?”

“Something you've forgotten? I'd like to get this moving right away.”

“Do I need a weapon?”

Miranda holds her fingers to her nose and sighs.

“Do you need a weapon? What do you think we're going to be doing? Taking on Cerberus with diplomacy?”

“I only came here to talk about the job." Charlotte says defensively. "I didn't realise we'd be shipping out immediately, I received your brief but I was going to supply based on our conversation here and I don't usually carry a weapon due to my recent work, if you'd said to bring one I would have, I do have one just not with me, I-”

“Okay, okay! Fine! I'm sure we have plenty of spares lying around for now. We can hit some less reputable store here and you can gear up with what you prefer. So, you have the general brief, you basically know what we'll be doing. You in?”

Miranda has already studied Charlotte's service records, aptitude tests, psyche reports, everything she could amass. A few years ago, Miranda would expect nothing but the highest calibre for whatever task she was charged with. If Miranda's time with Shepard taught her nothing else though, it is that you have to accept the issues and roll with the punches, not everything can be controlled. Charlotte is not top class material but she seems to be bright and dedicated, which for Miranda right now is enough and she came recommended. This meeting is just a formality in her eyes; operatives can only really be assessed in the field anyway and Miranda is eager to begin their work.

According to Charlotte's brief, they will be investigating and disabling remnant Cerberus operations. Many are still dotted about the galaxy and seemingly with a myriad of purposes. More specifically, there are disturbing reports into the extent of some of the Illusive Man's research, particularly into mind control and indoctrination and some of the intended goals and applications beyond the Reapers. Either way, the team will separate fact from fiction and stamp out the horrors that Cerberus have no doubt created.

“Sure. I'm in. But...”

“Yes?”

“The crew?”

“What about them?”

“Where are they?”

“You've met us all now I think. Oh, you haven't met our engineer Preetus, salarian.”

“Really? Six? Including me? Well, technically five with Flopsy and Topsy being joined at the hip but that seems to be another story.”

“There's enough to run the ship. We're not here to fight space battles. Fly in under the stealth drive, assess, shuttle down, take out the ground targets and get the hell out again. If there's any AA towers, the ship has orbital strike capabilities. With a competent helmsman, this is easy work and Grellus is a more than competent helmsman.”

“Put like that, fair enough. But you are aware that we're exposed if we're caught out in open space?”

“Noted but our stealth drive should avoid that. Besides, this isn't military intelligence, Charlotte. Not everything is up for debate. What I say goes, got it?”

“Yes, ma'am.”

“Miranda.” she corrects.

“Yes, Miranda. Though, I dread now to think what eccentricities your engineer has. Another one like the cranky pilot? Or the creepy asari twins?”

“Do you always complain like this? And anyway, what's wrong with this crew? They all have their own reasons for wanting to find Cerberus remnants and the bounties are high for captured officials, particularly those deemed war criminals for their actions during the Reaper War. Come, let me show you to your quarters, we can talk along the way.”

“Yes, thank you. Sorry. I always ask too many questions. I know I can come across as questioning but I'm just going through everything in my head. I'm not questioning you, if you know what I mean. I... I'll just shut up.”

“Don't worry. Better a bunch of questions now than problems later.”

Miranda is well aware of the sorry state of her assorted crew, which is why she was happy an Alliance operative was coming on board. Someone who knows the regs and can follow orders, useful in the field. Charlotte is not quite the Alliance marine Miranda was hoping for, although the former Cerberus operative reflects that to be fair, not every serviceman can be Commander Shepard.

She offers the elevator to Charlotte, who duly enters and Miranda presses on the panel to take them to the crew deck. As they exit Charlotte notes that this is unlike a military style crew deck; a medical bay is stationed here as she would expect but a corridor runs the length of the deck.

“As we are not intending to fight ship to ship, we've sacrificed a main cannon for more comfortable living arrangements. Each apartment is large, self contained with sleeping and living areas to do with as you will. Yours is the second on the left. There are the usual communal observation lounges and whatnot behind the elevator column there for down time and... that's about it really.”

“So who do we work for?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well... who runs the show?”

“I am in command and run the operation. The ship belongs to a turian consortium led by Grellus, they basically just take a slice of any bounties. Like you, Preetus is contracted. The twins... they're with me.”

“So... no-one is actually in charge of this operation beyond the operational team itself?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, I've just not worked like that before. To micro-manage operations like this as well as oversee them...”

“Look. You've only just got here. Stop over-complicating things. I've worked in some pretty tight situations over the years and this is just run-of-the-mill outside of the Alliance. Let me worry about the details.”

“So where does our intel come from? How do we know where and when to target?”

“We have... sources. Is there a problem?”

“Not a problem. I just like to know the ins and outs.”

“At the risk of sounding officious, the ins and outs are: do as I say and there'll be no problems.”

“Yes, Miranda. It's just... the only one who could readily access this kind of information about Cerberus is the Shadow Broker.”

“You're probably right there.” Miranda says with a knowing look.

“Oh... I see.” Charlotte says with a little surprise as she wonders now what kind of dark operation she is joining. “Are we Broker operatives then? That's not...”

“No! I... Look...”

“Miranda, Miranda.” the twins rush from the elevator, carrying the small case Miranda sought aloft. Miranda is thankful for the interruption.

“Oh excellent! Thank you, girls.”

The asari present the case to Miranda almost with reverence and are about to leave again.

“Girls?”

“Yes, Miranda?”

“This is Charlotte. She's joining us. This is Juseia and Malan.” she says as she points first to the left asari then the right, though Charlotte can see no discernible difference in them.

“Hi girls! Everyone calls me Charlie.” Charlotte says cordially.

“Hello.” they say with weak smiles and only the briefest of eye contact, then return to the elevator.

“So... what's the score with them?”

“Cerberus experiments into asari melding and indoctrination. They created genetically identical asari and engineered them to be permanently melded. Some guff about boosting mind control through the asari melding technique. Obviously, it didn't work and the twins? Well, they were kept like pets by some sick bastard in the facility. I found them huddled together, tied up like animals. I'm not sure they'll ever truly recover. I sort of became their guardian, I felt so sorry for them. They're only the equivalent of around seventy years old as best we can tell from the accelerated growth process Cerberus used.”

“They're physically dependent on each other?”

“We've never had them far enough apart to find out. They won't leave each other. So in that regard, yes. They're fragile enough without experimenting on their limits.”

“But if they're on this mission...”

“They're not field operatives but with their combined minds they suck up and analyse information like no other. They were well educated by Cerberus so their minds were fit for the job they'd intended and it seems there's little they can't pick up. If we need to know what experiments Cerberus are specifically running at a facility we're investigating, the twins can analyse their data and give us an answer quickly. They also assist Preetus in engineering, they're a great help there and seem to like working, just tinkering. I know they can be... difficult. Just give them a chance. They're actually quite charming once you get to know them.”

“So you're the only field combatant?”

“And now you. Speak with the team, they're not so bad. There's quirks, I'll grant you, but believe me, they wouldn't be here if I didn't have faith in them. So if there's no more questions..?” Miranda pauses in case there are. “No? Good. Get settled into your quarters then we'll get you kitted out.”

...

“Was she okay then?”

“Yea. A bit greener behind the gills than I was expecting but she'll do. We'll see how she is in the field but she seems a likeable sort, sometimes that's more important.”

“Good. Thanks for giving her a chance.”

“What is she to you, anyway?”

“Oh, Charlotte was my main contact for Admiral Hackett when supplying information to the Alliance. We sort of bonded and kept in touch and I know she needed more fulfilling work. Just to be clear though, she doesn't know about my... 'role' in the galaxy.”

“Yes, she was quite questioning when I mentioned your role in all this. I managed to avoid it at the time but she's an inquisitive one.”

“Hmm.”

“Anyway, any more targets yet? We've just got this one job to see through at the moment.”

“There is something around Relay 314 but nothing confirmed as yet. Get your current site out of the way and I'll send you co-ordinates and a brief. This one might not be so simple and Miranda? It's not Cerberus. I'd rather not say more just now.”

“Oh...?”

“I know your operation only really wants Cerberus targets but this one... it's best for everyone if you check this out. I'd rather send friendlies like you on this one. I'll pay regardless. This is important.”

“You know it's not about the money but yea, the others might need that kind of convincing to take a side-job. I'll get them on board, don't worry. If you say 'it's best for everyone', I can imagine that it's big. Tsk, the rachni again?”

“In our experience it could be the creator herself come to say hello!”

“Haha, yea. That reminds me of when we stopped Operation Overlord.”

“With Shepard?” Liara asks expectantly, always happy to hear an anecdote about her love.

“Yea. There was this console we were directed to by the Archer VI. Shepard hovered her hand over a button then stopped and said, 'Don't be surprised if this summons a Reaper!'”

“Oh yes, that's so like her.” Liara laughs.

“Well, I won't keep you.”

“That's really made my day. Oh Miranda?”

“Yes?”

“Something I never said...”

“What?”

“Thank you for giving me back Shepard. I may have lost her again, but... those were some wonderful days you gave back to us. Thank you.”

“I'm not proud of some of my work with Cerberus but that operation, I can handle. Thanks, Liara.”

“Bye, Miranda, and thanks for the story.”

“No worries. See you, Liara.”

Their work not so different, Liara and Miranda formed a partnership of sorts in the wake of the battle for Sol. Miranda found it difficult to give up her operations and the dark work she conducted, and Liara is always looking for useful operatives, particularly ones she knows she can trust.

Liara smiles and picks up her picture of Shepard and gazes at it a moment, then laughs a little at the tale told by Miranda. She sighs, replaces her beloved image and re-activates her voice affecting program to contact an operative.

...

“Seems to be undefended. I'm not getting any AA type energy signatures. Just a low level power source, barely enough to run a small facility.” pilot Grellus says of the scans. “If there's anything down there, it's probably underground. I'm getting almost no built-up structures.”

The team are in the cockpit, assessing the risks of the current Cerberus target site as they orbit the planet.

“Pill boxes? Is this one that old?” Miranda says.

“Possibly. The shadows I'm getting could be pill boxes.”

“Do we just go down?” Charlotte asks.

“This doesn't mean nothing's going on down there but looks like we might have to.” Miranda agrees. “Grab your gear, Charlie.”

Upon an initial fly-by in the shuttle, indeed there are several pill boxes dotted around the green landscape but only one looks active. Seeing no immediate threats, Miranda lands a short distance from the box so as to give them some breathing space between the craft and any potential threats from the entrance.

“Be ready.” she says to Charlotte as she pulls out her SMG.

Charlotte pulls out her pistol side arm and follows Miranda out of the shuttle in her new black armour. They cautiously make their way to the pill box entrance.

“Haven't seen one of these in years.” Miranda says. “Most facilities were moved into deep space after Shepard nearly ended Cerberus operations entirely during the Sovereign War. What is this that it's still in use?”

In the wake of the Reaper War and Shepard's sacrifice, previously dismissed events and assertions have been included in history. It is now accepted that the Reaper Sovereign was the true enemy in the formerly named Geth War.

“Shall we?” Charlotte says, offering the elevator door.

“Panel's active.” Miranda says as she attempts to call the elevator. The readout seems to register that the elevator has been called and the pair stand back from the door with their weapons ready. The doors open and the elevator is empty.

Miranda enters the elevator and presses the button once Charlotte has followed. The elevator creaks slightly with the sound of age and probable lack of maintenance but descends smoothly enough. As it slows, they ready their weapons again. The elevator stops and the doors open to what looks like a lobby. A large dusty table adorned with candles and pot pourri stands in the middle of the large room with lounge chairs dotted around the walls. It is a typical pre-fabricated Cerberus facility from a different era but has been domesticated somewhat. 

“Errr...” Charlotte says.

“Hm. Yes.” Miranda agrees.

An asari in what was once an elegant white gown but now is dirty and ragged swishes into their view, her expression strangely manic.

“Greetings!” she says. “How may I help you?”

Charlotte looks at Miranda and raises an eyebrow.

“Really?” she says.

“Get away from them, Lesh! Who's there?” a male voice calls from around a corner of a passage that leads to the left. Then a human's face pops out and back in quickly.

“Who are you? What do you want? Why are you here? We want no trouble here!” he shouts.

The asari seems unperturbed and continues to blankly smile, looking back and forth at Miranda and Charlotte.

“Step out where we can see you!” Miranda shouts back.

“Why?”

“We're armed! Step out, now.”

The middle aged man in scientist garb shuffles out sideways with his hands in the air, evidently posing little threat, and Miranda and Charlotte step into the room.

“What do you want? I've nothing you want here. Please. Don't hurt us.”

“We know what this place is. Well. What it was, at least.” Miranda accuses.

“What do you mean? This is my home!” the man says with some righteous indignation.

“This is a Cerberus facility. You've still got the insignia on you right there.”

“Cerberus?” Lesh says with a pained look on her face.

“Sh, sh, sh, it's okay, Lesh.” he reassures the asari. “Oh. That. Yes, well they haven't been here for a long time. There's just me.”

“And...” Charlotte says, gesticulating towards the asari.

“Oh. Lesh. Yes. She can't leave here.”

Miranda holds her nose and closes her eyes, preparing for the worst.

“What have you done to her?” she sighs.

“Nothing! Well. Personally, I've done nothing.”

“What did Cerberus do to her?” Miranda says, now with impatience.

“Early mind control experiments. Lesh was one of the ones they wanted to use for hospitality. Subservient species and all that. I never bought into it, you know!”

“So you've turned her into a sex slave?”

“No! Not specifically. She was just made... compliant. Though the process Cerberus used was not refined and at times the subjects became lucid so this project was abandoned.”

“Cerberus? Mother? Where's mother?” Lesh begins to become panicked.

“Now look what you've done!” the scientist shouts at the pair then goes to the asari and holds her hands. “Come on, Lesh. There's a good girl. Come on, sit down for a moment. There we are. Just think about dinner later. Mmmm, you like dinner time, don't you? What would you like?”

“Ooh... can you decide?” she says, his soothing tones subduing her once more.

“Of course I can. Now you just sit here and be good, okay?”

“Yes...”

Miranda thought she'd seen the lowest depths that Cerberus could reach but this? There are extra levels of 'wrong' here she never knew they were capable of.

“So there's just you two here?” Charlotte asks.

“Yes. When the project was being shut down, the other operatives were going to just abandon poor Lesh here. She would have died of starvation if I hadn't stayed. So I took advantage of the situation, I'm only human. Besides, she doesn't know any better most of the time.”

“Maybe not. But we do. What's your name?”

“Doctor David Stephens, why?”

Miranda steps back into the elevator for relative privacy and activates her omni-tool. A few moments later she steps back out again.

“This is ending. Lesh? Can you come with us, please?”

“Where are they taking me?” Lesh stands up with panic on her face.

“Yes. Where do you think you're taking her?” the doctor protests.

“Charlie. Get her into the elevator.” Miranda says as she gives Lesh a push towards Charlotte.

“Lesh!” the doctor calls as he attempts to move forward and reach out to her.

Miranda stands between them and pushes the man back with a shove. Charlotte grabs Lesh's arm and pulls her towards the elevator when there is a gun shot. She looks to see Miranda standing with her gun raised and the doctor laying on the floor, shot in the head. Lesh looks back, sees the bloody sight and begins screaming.

“Tsk, I was hoping she wouldn't see that.” Miranda says.

“You shot him?” Charlotte says, a little in disbelief.

“Yes. I checked with our Cerberus records, he's not worth anything. We can discuss that later. Right now, we need to take care of her.”

Lesh's screaming subdues until she is just gasping and they go up in the elevator. By the time they reach the top, it is as though Lesh has forgotten already and just beams a smile at the pair.

“What are we going to do with Lesh?” Charlotte asks as she guides her towards the shuttle.

“Asari consulate, I suppose. They'll be able to look after her best.”

“Hm. Good.”

“What's for dinner?” Lesh asks of her new masters.

“You can have anything you like, Lesh!” Miranda replies.

“Oh good!” she says, then seems content without even offering a suggestion.

“Poor thing. I wonder who she was.” Charlotte says.

...

“This way, Lesh.” Charlotte says, as she and Miranda guide her down to the crew deck.

Juseia and Malan had seen them exit the elevator and follow behind slowly, a look of anger on their faces Charlotte hasn't seen before or expected.

“Cerberus?” they eventually say with annoyance.

“Who else? We're going to make sure she's okay, though. Don't worry.”

Their angry faces turn a little sadder.

“Thank you.” they say, then look at Lesh who just smiles her blank smile at them. The twins move into a brief hug with the asari. She is surprised but seems to enjoy the kind action.

“Actually, twins?”

“Yes, Miranda?”

“Can you help with Lesh? Charlotte and I need to speak.”

“Yes. We want to help.”

“Great! Use my quarters and if you could get her cleaned up and something to eat, that'd be great.”

The twins break contact to take a hand each and lead Lesh down the corridor.

“Hm.” Miranda says as she watches them.

“Hm?” Charlotte says.

“They don't usually like not to be in contact with each other.” Miranda ponders for a moment.

“You wanted to speak with me?”

“Hm? Oh yes. Now. I get the feeling you are not impressed with how things went down there.”

“Was killing him necessary? Shouldn't we hand people like that over to the authorities?”

“It's a pointless exercise. The likes of him get virtually nothing. He left Cerberus and knowing how things usually go, he would have cried humanitarian reasons for staying with Lesh. At best, he would have got a few years in a light security facility then he'd be back out there. I can't allow that. People like him need to pay for what they've done.”

“It did seem like he had good intentions at first...”

“Regardless, the guilt was written all over his face. You saw it.”

“Hmm. Just... you should have let us go up in the elevator first.”

“He wasn't going to allow that and that could have become messy in itself. We all try to do our best in the moment but things don't always go according to plan, things sometimes go completely FUBAR, you know? I didn't intend for Lesh to get freaked out like that anyway.”

“Hmm. I suppose.”

“So? Are you sticking around then or what? I'd understand if this put you off. Wasn't the most straight forward of missions to start with but if it's any assurance, most of our discoveries so far have not been quite this... disturbing.”

“Apart from the twins...”

“The twins... as much faith as I have in them, I'm not comfortable leaving them alone with Lesh for too long. We'd better go and check on them.”

They walk the short distance to Miranda's quarters and open the door. Seated in the centre of the couch is Lesh, with the twins sitting either side, their heads pressed against hers, holding her hands and each others across her lap, all three silent and eyes closed.

“What are they...?” Charlotte begins to ask.

“Sh.” Miranda interrupts, then whispers. “I think they're melding with her.”

A few moments later the twins lift their heads from Lesh's and she sits back and smiles. This time, a genuine smile, almost with relief. Still holding her hands, the twins look up at Miranda with a few tears in their eyes.

“Her name is Leshia A'Maan. She will be okay. In time.” they say, then stand and return to holding each others hands.

Lesh seems to drift off to sleep, still with the contented smile on her face.

“I'll stay with her.” Charlotte offers as she sits next to Lesh and takes her hand to stroke it. One of the twins puts her hand on Charlotte's shoulder for a moment, she turns her head to see it was Juseia. Or possibly Malan. But they both smile as they say, “Thank you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Huh? Huh? She said the name of the movie, in the movie!" -Peter Griffin


	28. Hunters 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More stuff cobbled together from stuff. Sort'a leads on from the last one though don't expect any kind of coherence or conclusion but you can probably see where I was going.

Illium. Site of both good memories and bad, but a familiar place. Liara still keeps her office here, despite her loftier statuses, both the known and unknown. It is relatively remote and an ideal place for meetings, being a 'no questions asked' kind of a society. She sits with her back to her desk, overlooking the trading floor, when there is a buzz on the intercom. Liara looks to her monitor to check who it is, then buzzes the door open.

“Hey, Liara.” Ashley says brightly as she enters in her blue fatigues.

Liara stands and immediately goes to her friend to give her a hug.

“Good to see you, Ashley.”

They pause a moment to look at each other but both aware no words are required; their losses are great and shared.

“What's with all the cloak and dagger?” Ashley asks as Liara returns to her seat.

“Please, sit.” she offers. “We can start once Miranda is here.”

“Miranda?” Ashley responds with a frown.

“Aaash...” Liara admonishes.

“Don't 'Ash' me. Why am I here? What's Miranda got to do with anything?”

“Miranda's one of my top operatives.”

“Ah. Is this Broker stuff? Liara, you know I can't be seen to be associating with that world. If the Council found out-”

“Just wait for Miranda and hear me out. Please.”

“Can she be trusted? Really, I mean. She hasn't always been known for picking the right side.” Ashley says with a concerned brow.

“Shepard trusted her, trusted her with her life.”

“Yea, but... all that Cerberus business...”

“Cerberus barely exists now, Ash, we don't have to worry about that.”

“Like I said, I hope she's learned to choose the right path.”

“Hmmm.” Liara growls.

“What?” Ashley says unapologetically, “She's never had the highest regard for the Earth Systems Alliance, or the Council, regardless of her other misadventures. Is bringing me into... whatever this is, such a good idea with her involved?”

“It's precisely because you represent the Alliance and the Council that I want you here.”

“Great. This gets worse by the minute. You know I can't do anything in any official capacity. Miranda's still not really recognised for her part in the Reaper war. Hell, she's lucky she's not being hunted by half the merc groups of the galaxy! Never mind the governments Cerberus pissed off...”

The intercom buzzes once more.

“Ah.” Liara voices with satisfaction, then releases the door's lock.

“What's she doing here?” Miranda immediately demands upon seeing Ashley.

“Ha! I was just asking the same thing about you.” Ashley retorts.

“Liara. You know I don't like... officiousness.” Miranda continues.

Liara raises a brow at this Freudian assessment then gesticulates to a chair, “Okay, we're all here now, I won't keep you in suspense any longer.”

Miranda seats herself with a sideways look at the Spectre, who returns the look.

“So!” Liara begins brightly, “One of my survey craft was conducting scans of a remote planet in Relay 314's system and turned up something quite interesting.”

“Quite interesting, as in a Prothean dig? Or quite interesting, the latest threat to the galaxy?” Ashley asks facetiously as the information does not come quick enough for her.

“Hm. Actually,” Liara smiles smugly, “it's a little from column A, and a little from column B.”

“Liara...” Ashley berates her coyness.

“Can you at least let her finish what she's saying?” Miranda says.

“I just want to know why I'm here, with... with...” she points at Liara, then at Miranda, “and... and...”

“You do know I'm not with Cerberus any more? That thanks to me, they barely even operate now?”

“Hmm, yea, I might have heard something about that.”

“Live Protheans!” Liara shouts out to interrupt their bickering, which indeed causes them both to pause a moment.

“Oh...” Miranda eventually says with evident disappointment.

“What, like Javik?” Ashley asks.

“Well, we don't know yet if they've survived down there or not but... I'm certain it's a Prothean stasis facility from the information I have.”

“And what about Javik?” Ashley continues. “Does he know yet?”

“I had to tell him, Ash. You know that.”

“Oh, great! The Shadow Broker, the Cerberus Cheerleader-”

“Hey!”

“-and the psychotic Prothean, all off to bring an army of Prothean overlords back from the dead.”

“This is why I wanted you here, Ash. You represent the Council, you know the potential threats, but you also know that I'd do everything in my power to ensure the safety of the galaxy. In all honesty though, we know that raising such things with the Council falls on deaf ears, so I'm informing you. I will add that Javik is well aware that it might not be so simple as to just resurrect his people.”

“You want the Council to know?”

“Not yet, but I wanted you to know.”

“Why?”

“Yea, why?” Miranda asks. “There's no reason why she won't go running off to her masters to spill the beans.”

“What do you think I am?” Ashley demands.

“A Spectre.” Miranda replies with deadpan glibness.

“Also, I want you to know in case I need you, Ash. Spectre or not, Commander or not, I need Ashley Williams, my most trusted and oldest friend.”

“Liara...” Ashley says. “You're not playing fair, you know. This is complicated for me.”

“See? The Council and the Alliance come first. Every time.” Miranda says.

“Miranda, you wouldn't know loyalty if it came up and bit you on your fat ass.”

“Go for the obvious, why don't you.”

“You're damn right, it's obvious!”

“I gave that one, I've heard it all before from Ori.”

“Really?” Liara interjects. “How old are you two?”

“Fine!” Ashley says as she stands. “I'm not out, Liara. Just... contact me if you need me. I can't make any promises but I'll do what I can to help.”

“That's all I ask.”

“And be careful. I'll see you soon.” Ashley directs at Liara, then coolly, “Miranda.”

“Lieutenant Commander.” she returns the parting.

…

Scanning the site from orbit, it appears to be of a similar size to the facility on Ilos, as detailed by Liara's data. After landing and finding the entrance, they walk a decrepit and long open passage built into the land.

“Hm. Similar to the images of Ilos.” Miranda comments.

“Ilos?” Charlotte asks.

“Where the Prothean VI Vigil was? I suppose a lot of this was hush-hush. Door.” Miranda directs as they see it and they enter to check it out. Behind them a whooshing sound announces the barrier curtain blocking their exit.

“Oh. Great,” Miranda says, “stuck in this tomb for all eternity...”

A console at the far end of the room powers up, its lights breaking through debris and plant life adorning the panels and a disfigured hologram appears.

“I am Sentinel, avatar for the Prothean Empire. Assessing galactic time line... error. Post-cycle continuation... Congratulations.”

“Hm. Thanks.” Miranda says, then turns to Charlotte. “Seems to be like Vigil or Vendetta. So, 'Sentinel', what is the purpose of this facility?”

“This facility housed two hundred thousand Prothean warriors, to be awoken when the Reapers return.”

“Oh. So... what went wrong?”

“Provision for this facility was made in haste. As time went on, I was required to de-activate the pods of tertiary support workers, until eventually all pods were offline.”

“So there's just you now?”

“One Prothean remains.”

“One's still alive?”

“Yes.”

“So how was this singular Prothean supposed to help? Not that the Reapers' return made you wake them anyway.”

“Continuation of the Prothean empire. Once the Reapers have been defeated, I will activate the last Prothean that we may outlast the Reapers, once and for all.”

“The Reapers are defeated.”

“Yes. And I have awoken the last Prothean.”

“What? You've just... ugh. Liara's not going to be happy about this... so where are they?”

“She will report here once the effects of stasis have abated.”

“She? Hm. Javik might be more happy about this than Liara...”

“Javik?” Sentinal asks. “Javik T'Husta?”

“Oh. To be honest, I don't know his last name. But yea, he's the one from Eden Prime.”

“Then our Emperor may yet still live.”

“Emperor...? Javik, the sly old dog. He kept that one quiet!”


	29. Chapter 29

There is a knock at the door.

“Come in?” an aged Liara shouts across her small Serrice University study.

A middle-aged human woman tentatively enters.

“Professor T'Soni?”

“Yes, yes, come in. You must be the one from Galactic View News.”

“Yea, Emily Hart. Pleased to meet you. I must say, Professor, Galactic doesn't go halfway across the galaxy to get an interview.”

“And I don't do interviews but here we are.” Liara smiles then offers a straight backed but comfortable looking leather chair to Emily, matching the one she sits in herself as she puts the datapad she was reading to one side, “Please. Sit.”

“Yea, that's kind of my first question. If you don't mind us getting right to it?” the reporter asks as she sets up her omni-tool.

“Of course.”

“You've always refused any interviews in the past. Why now? Was it the passing of the krogan leader and last living member of the Normandy crew, Urdnot Wrex? Apart from yourself, of course.”

“Partly, I suppose. I just thought that everyone should know who we were, why we did what we did, the real us.”

“Oh?”

“I wasn't some biotic goddess, dispatching Reapers with a thought. I was just a scared little girl, doing all she could to stay alive. Wrex? He wanted his people to find peace amongst themselves, and their own place in galactic society. Garrus...”

“Garrus Vakarian?” Emily interrupts with the excitement of a child.

“Yes, Garrus Vakarian,” Liara rolls her eyes a little, “he just wanted those who did wrong to be brought to account for their actions. We all came together, with our foibles and our problems, and we did what we had to. That's all we did.”

“And what did you want? Apart from staying alive, obviously.”

Liara looks down to the exotically patterned rug, pausing on her words, eventually just almost whispering out.

“I just wanted Shepard.”

“Your relationship with Commander Shepard has become almost legendary in itself.”

“Almost.” Liara agrees with melancholy.

“Hm?”

“We never got the chance to really find out.”

“We only ever see the poster images of Commander Shepard. I was wondering, do you have any casual or off-duty pictures that we could run with the piece?”

“Oh! Yes, of course. I know just the one, too.”

Liara rises slowly from her chair with a slight wince, then to her desk to fetch her slide show picture frame. She press on it a few times, then nods with satisfaction.

“Here we go. Is this alright?” Liara passes the frame.

“Is this alright? There's... everyone in this picture! Wait a second...”

Emily seems to count the people in the image, ending on one in particular with a stabbing finger and a confused look.

“Wait... is that...? It can't be...” she says in disbelief.

Liara looks to who she is pointing at.

“Oh, Kasumi?”

“'Oh, Kasumi?' she says. Jeez. You do realise that you probably have the only image of the Master Thief, Kasumi Goto in the galaxy?”

“Well...”

“You've got more?!”

“There's probably the odd image laying around my er... personal archives.”

“But this is a beauty. The whole Normandy squad, posing like it's a party...”

“It was a party.” Liara states with pride, then more wistfully, “We all had a lovely time. A lovely time. Although, I think Zaeed and Garrus got a little overexcited in one of their games and rigged the hot tub to electrocute anyone who used it. They got like that sometimes. Boys!”

“Ha! Priceless. But that sort of brings me to one of my other questions. Do you mind if I ask you about the asari and your opinions?”

“Of course not, what would you ask?”

“As an all female species, and the only mono-gendered species in the galaxy, have you found that to be a help, a hindrance or neither here nor there?”

Liara frowns and breaths in deep.

“You know, having spent much time with other races I've pondered this. I honestly don't know what it was like for the asari meeting other species for the first time. In the other species, there is male and female, and in most species the male is physically and therefore generally dominant, to varying degrees. As the asari appear as appropriate female mates to most species, I wouldn't doubt that any desire to repel invaders would be somewhat doused when confronted by a bevy of exotic, blue beauties. And, of course, to use a term I learned from living amongst humans and I have found myself using frequently, boys will be boys!”

“Why, Professor!” Emily laughs.

Liara smiles naughtily.

“On a more serious note, you've agreed to speak at the celebrations on Mindoir. Is that important to you, to speak at Shepard's home planet and celebrate her life?”

“It's as much to celebrate the ending of the Terminus Wars. When the Reapers were defeated, I'd hoped that the galaxy would finally find peace but it would seem that that was only an opportunity for the more separatist elements of the Terminus Systems to make their move.”

“I believe you were somewhat friendly with Chancellor T'Loak?”

“Aria? Oh yes, we met long before the Reaper invasion.”

“How did you react when the declaration was made of her intentions to move galactic politics to Omega?”

“To be honest, I was surprised. And disappointed.”

“Surprised? Forgive me, but I wouldn't think you to be so naïve.”

“You didn't know Aria.”

“Tell me then.”

“Well... while self-interest was high on Aria's agenda, she did help both myself and Shepard with the war effort and before. I mean, I know she still had contempt for the Earth Systems Alliance due to their encroachment on the Terminus Systems' borders and subsequent demands for sovereignty, and that Cerberus, 'the bastard child of the Alliance' as she called them, were involved in the death of her daughter but... I don't know. Aria still had a lot of hate but I expected more, I suppose. I see myself more as optimistic than naïve.”

“Sorry, I didn't mean anything by that.”

“No, that's fine. I just hope that future generations don't see me that way. Not that it really matters in the great scheme of things. But sad as it is to say, like most conflicts, it was the catalyst for positive change. We wouldn't have the unified Council we have now, or as soon as we have, without that conflict.”

“You supported her stance?”

“I supported the idea that the Citadel should not dictate to those not represented but rather than move into politics, Aria chose to ally her merc forces with the Hegemony after the coup by more extreme elements. I suppose I shouldn't have been that surprised.”

“You never wanted to go into politics yourself?”

“Me? No!” Liara laughs.

“I only ask because Lady Benezia, your mother was so involved in asari politics prior to her death.”

“No, I never intended to move into politics. I studied archaeology at here at Serrice, that was my vocation, my passion, to discover the secrets of the Prothean Empire.”

“And you got a live case to study.”

“Hmm. Javik. That was sad.”

“He took his own life.”

“Yes... I tried to convince him otherwise, that there was still a place for him in the galaxy but no, he was so alone. He lived for his empire and with that gone, he felt there was no point lingering around like a ghost. I could understand that.”

“If you don't mind me moving back to Earth, I'd like to talk about your involvement with the Earth Systems Alliance. As the first non-human accepted into the ranks, did you experience any resentment?”

“You know, I never did. I'd worked closely with the Alliance for a long time before enlisting, mainly in an informational capacity but I'd made a great ally and friend in Steve Hackett. General Hackett.”

“Do you think your close association with Commander Shepard helped there?”

Liara smiles knowingly.

“Like much in life, things are usually a little from column A, and a little from column B. The net result is much the same.”

“Back to General Hackett and your role prior to enlisting, and also some of the work you are reported to have conducted on Illium, do you think it was understandable that you were suspected of being the Shadow Broker? And what did you make of all that?”

“The Shadow Broker...” Liara snorts with disdain at the very idea. “I just laughed it off. I mean, really? Me?”

“But with the-”

“It was all resolved years ago.” Liara halts the line of conversation with a wave. “Now. Do you have enough? I am feeling rather tired now.”

“Oh. Well, of course.” she says with disappointment as she stands. “Can you send-”

“I'll send some pictures over, of course.”

“Thanks. Good to talk with you, Professor. Honestly, it's been a real insight. I think our readers will appreciate your honesty.”

“I hope it goes well for you.” Liara stands to prompt a motion towards the door, and the reporter takes the hint.

“Thanks again, and I hope this isn't the last time we see you speaking in the media.”

“Goddess willing!” Liara chipperly says.

The doors shuts and Liara activates a security lock on it then goes to her drinks cabinet. She presses a hidden panel at the side and a monitor pops out of the top, with a keyboard and peripherals sliding out underneath. Liara takes a small microphone from the array.

“Agent 325.” her voice now in deep tones.

“Yea, yea, what's the job?” a voice returns over the system.

While under this persona, Liara has to fight the urge to berate him for his rudeness.

“Reporter. Galactic View News. Name, Emily Hart. Her article on Professor Liara T'Soni needs to be lost. No casualties.”

“Got it. No bang bang.”

Happy that no more pleasantries are required, Liara ends the feed and the components slide back out of sight and she returns to her chair.

“Duhhh... No bang bang.” Liara mocks her agent. “Goddess, why do I hire these people?”


	30. Chapter 30

Liara is working late after Shepard's visit and assistance around Nos Astra, deep in her reports at the console in her Illium office when the door comm sounds. She gives a quizzical frown at the screen upon viewing the visitor, then buzzes them in.

“Good evening, Detective.” Liara says cordially.

“Yea.” Anaya replies, animatedly scanning her head and eyes around the office as she approaches the desk. “Evening, Doc.”

“Is there... some way that I can help you, Detective?”

“I don't know.” Anaya chews on her words a moment. “Been some strange goings on around here. You wouldn't happen to know about any strange goings on around here would you, Doctor T'Soni?”

“Strange goings on, you say?”

“Yea, very strange goings on. Maintenance has been working round the clock to re-install half the terminals around the trading floor and taxi rank.”

“I cannot say that I have noticed any strange goings on myself but I shall certainly keep my eye out.”

“Hm.” the Detective snorts. “You're a coy one, ain't you.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“I might not have been raised on Thessia but your 'butter wouldn't melt' routine doesn't cut any ice. I know what you're all about.”

“Oh?” Liara poses with continued enigma. “And what am I 'all about', Detective.”

“The underworld. The strange goings on that happen around the galaxy that seem just unfortunate at the time but then unfold into something more, usually at the expense of someone, and to the benefit of others.”

“What exactly do you want, Detective? If you do indeed, want something?”

“I'm wise enough to know what I want isn't really on the table, Doctor T'Soni. What I'd like, is less 'strange goings on' around my docks. So let's just say I'm introducing myself formally today.”

Liara looks the Detective up and down a moment.

“Of course, I have no idea to what you are referring but I am able to say that you should not have to worry about the legitimate engagements that are conducted here.”

“Hm. Then we understand each other.”

“I really do not understand at all, Detective, but I am happy to see our local law enforcement is pro-active in its duty to ensure the safety of everyone.”

“Yea, yea, keep it up, Doc.” Anaya says as she turns and leaves with a swagger then mutters to herself as she descends the stairs, “Tsk. Thessia. Wish they'd just keep their archaic ways to themselves. Justicars, Ardat Yakshi, and now... whatever this is.”

…

After her inconclusive chat with Liara T'Soni, Detective Anaya paces the periphery of the trading floor. Not looking for any strange goings on in particular, just getting a sense of the mood around Nos Astra, the little things it may be prudent to be aware of. Some cultures might call her activity 'walking the beat' but she'd just call it good detective work. Another lap completed, Anaya checks her omni-tool - way past her official clocking off time but that's not unusual. Continuing her mode of getting a sense of Nos Astra, Anaya heads through administration to the Eternity Lounge for a well earned drink. Upon entering she notices immediately a new face behind the bar, and not an unfamiliar one.

“Matriarch Aethyta? What are you..?” she let's the incomplete question linger as she approaches the counter.

“Officer. What can I get you?”

“Yea. But...”

“Well, if you know who I am, then you no doubt know what went on.”

“Yea. We might be at the ass end of Thessian politics but we still hear what happens in the Matriarchal chambers.”

“Well. That's all pretty moot now, isn't it.”

“And the bar?”

“Let's just say I wanted to get back to grass roots, and where better than behind a bar at the ass end of Thessian politics? Besides, I get to practice my biotics on the more unruly customers when things get out of hand.”

“Yea.” Anaya laughs. “But er... try to keep that to a minimum, if you can.”

“Tell them.” she replies, unmoved by the request. “So can I get you anything, Officer...?”

“Anaya. Detective. And yes, one standard glass of civilian beer, please.”

“Ha. Yea, leave the gut burners to the Maidens, right, Detective?” Aethyta pours the glass of beer and pushes it forward.

“Something like that. Anyway, good to meet you, Aethyta.” Anaya says as she takes her drink and looks around for a seat.

“I'll see you around, Detective.” Aethyta calls after her.

“Grass roots, my ass.” Anaya frowns to herself.


	31. Chapter 31

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blue AU.

Liara waits before the console, apprehensive, curious, frightened, but hopeful. A hologram of a Reaper forms above the dashboard of buttons and lights. It's booming voice begins.

“Liara T'Soni, former lover of Commander Shepard.”

“Um... yes. Are you not Shepard?”

The Reaper voice pauses for a moment, but Liara is sure it has a sombre tone in its voice when it answers.

“No.”

“But you remember me?”

“No. I only have the data of Shepard, I do not remember as you would know it.”

“So what data do you have about me? What can you tell me about that?”

“She loved you. She would die for you. She did die for you.”

“But...”

“Grieve not, for she gave herself willingly to save you, save all of you.”

Hidden amongst the disturbing deep tones of the Reaper, Liara is sure she can hear Verity's voice.

“Do you have data on our first meeting?”

“Yes.”

“Well..?”

“Clarify.”

“What did she think when she saw me trapped so stupidly?”

The machine pauses once more. Some might think this is just delayed data access, but Liara wants to believe this is Verity mulling over her thoughts.

“Awe.” it simply states.

“Awe? Is that it? No detail?”

“This word is the sum of all the feelings I am attempting to decode.”

“Hmm. Awe... could have been worse, I suppose.”

Suddenly, Liara strikes a heroic pose and shouts out, “Blue Angel!”

Nothing.

“Worth a try I suppose.” she says to herself.

The machine almost breathes as it makes vocal noises without words, then pauses for a moment.

“Blonde...” it says slowly and with difficulty.

Liara's eyes light up, “Yes?”

“Bombshell.”

Liara jumps a little like a child.

“Yes! I knew you were in there!”

“Do not be deceived by automated responses, I am not Shepard.”

“Oh you don't fool me, Shepard. What was Arbuckle's first name, again?”

“Fatty. This data is available.”

“Hmm. What did you really think of Livia?” she asks with a leading squinted eye.

“Livia. Masseur.”

“No, no. What did Shepard feel about Livia?”

There is another pause from the machine.

“No data is available.”

“Hm. Good.”

“Shepard would want you to live. To continue, without guilt.”

“I don't know if I can. I am not sure I could love anyone else but you.”

“I am not Shepard.”

“Do you remember that children's rhyme I told you, the one I used to sing with Shiala?”

“No data available.”

“Can a machine lie? You must have data on this.”

“Our time must end. I must continue our work.”

“Oh no, Shepard, you're not getting out that easy.” Liara scolds the machine.

“I am not Shepard.”

The hologram fades out and Liara looks at the space where it was.

“Oh Verity. I'm sure you were in there.”


	32. Chapter 32

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I seem to be in 'slice of life' mode.

“Mum! I've got to head off now.” Aethyta calls through to Liara's lounge at her home on Thessia, “You sure you're alright looking after Shiala?”

“I brought you up, didn't I? I'll be fine.”

“Now, Shiala.” Aethyta turns to her daughter, “Be good for grandma...” her voice lowers, “...and keep an eye on her, okay?”

“I heard that!” Liara shouts. “I'm not as old and decrepit as you might like to think.”

“Sorry, mum. You know it's only because I worry.”

Aethyta comes fully into the room to Liara's large comfortable armchair where she spends most of her days now, puts an arm around her and kisses her forehead.

“I'll be back in a bit.” she says then points at Shiala as she leaves, “Behave.” then the finger turns to Liara, “Both of you.”

Liara looks to Shiala with a muffled chuckle and an eye-glinting smile, then returns to perusing a datapad.

“Thought your information days were over, nan.” Shiala says as she sits on an arm of the chair.

“No, no, just looking over some old pictures.”

“You got any of granddad?”

“Oh, yes! Of course, let me just... oh, here's a good one.”

Liara doesn't show the image to Shiala just yet, as she becomes instantly lost in it.

“Nan?”

“Hm? Oh. Yes, we weren't actually together, your grandfather and I, when this picture was taken but... I really like this one.”

Liara passes the datapad to her granddaughter, “That's her, right there.”

Shiala looks at the image, then to her grandmother with a quizzical look.

“Who's that?” she points to the other human sitting next to Liara, their gaze at each other evident of something deeper. Liara smiles more broadly now.

“That's Commander Shepard.” she says proudly.

“What, her?” Shiala responds incredulously.

“What?”

“Well... I was expecting... I don't know... more.”

“Shepard was the most beautiful woman in the galaxy to me.”

“What? Granddad was second prize?”

“No! It wasn't like that. Oh me and your granddad wasn't until years later, after Shepard... once Shepard was gone. Then Ashley, your granddad, well it just sort of happened. I hope that happens for you too, Shiala. That you find someone special.”

“There's plenty time for all that, nan.” Shiala looks coy and embarrassed.

“No.” Liara asserts, “No, there isn't.”

“I'm only thirty, I've got another thousand years to do what I want, there's no hurry.”

“I know you're young and some of that's a way off yet but a thousand years or not, it'll be gone before you know it.” Liara strokes the image of Shepard with a finger. “It still only seems like yesterday that I was whisked away by Commander Shepard on Therum. So much since but... that feeling's still there. I still miss it. All my friends. Your granddad. Shepard.”

“You okay, nan?”

“Hmm? Oh. Yes.” she replies, her eyes misty and smile forced, “Just being silly. You know your old nan.”

“So you're the last one now? From your old squad, I mean.”

“Yes. There's just me now. Seems the krogan do have a life-span after all.”

“And you saved the galaxy.” she says grandly but not without some sarcasm as she looks at her frail relative.

“I might be old and small now but I was quite a force to be reckoned with back in the day, my girl. And now your mother tells me that you're not keeping up your biotics.”

“Not my bag, nan. Anyway, you seen some of the new advanced tech around? It practically runs itself! Biotics are pretty much becoming moot.”

“Hardly. Tech.” Liara almost spits the word, “That's what got us into trouble in the first place. I hope we don't just re-create the woes of the past again.”

“It's alright, if anything happens, we still have you to save us.”

“Hmm.” Liara grumbles.

“Cup of tea, nan?”

“Ooh, yes. That'd be lovely. Thank you, dear.”

“I'll leave to swoon over the 'beautiful' Commander Shepard.”

“It's Shepard's fault, you know!”

“What is?”

“That my family is such a bunch of contraries. Her facetiousness rubbed off on me and onto my family, or so it would seem.”

“Our family's weird anyway.” Shiala says as she walks through to the kitchen to make tea and they continue to talk through the open doorway.

“Oh?” Liara says, a slight pout as she cranes her neck for the answer, “How so?”

“Oh come on. You're not exactly a regular asari now are you? And like you say, you've rubbed off on all of us.”

“I'm not weird, you cheeky thing.” Liara retorts.

“Nan? You're the most human asari I know. If I don't make this tea right, you won't be happy for a start. And we celebrate Christmas, for Goddess' sake!”

“That's just for fun! It's not like I've converted or something. You know how I feel about all that.” Liara defends.

“Then why bother?”

“Have you ever seen Christmas on Earth, Shiala? It's almost magical. It's the memories I enjoy as much as anything.”

“So Shepard was your first love then?” Shiala returns with a tray laden with a large teapot, and cups and saucers.

“Oh yes, not that I don't cherish the time with your grandfather, mind. But you only get one first love, one time when it's all new and you don't know whether you're going to explode with excitement, or implode with worry!”

“Sounds scary.” Shiala says with a concerned brow.

“It is, but it's wonderful as well.”

“You make it sound like a fairground ride.”

“That's probably not far off the mark but please, Shiala, promise me you won't just waste your life and stay on Thessia. There's a whole galaxy out there. You might think it's all been seen before, but you, Shiala, you need to look for yourself.”

“Alright, nan! Like I said, I'm only thirty. I haven't even gone to university yet!”

“And that's where it begins. New places, new people, new ideas – it can be wonderful, Shiala.”

“Are you okay, nan? You're pretty sort of, well not down, but I don't know...”

“Hm. It's... It's mine and Shepard's anniversary. The day we stopped Sovereign and became a real couple.”

“Oh. Well. Sorry, nan.”

“No, it's silly really. It's been hundreds of years since all of that.”

“She really did mean a lot to you, eh nan?”

“Hm.” Liara nods.

“You still miss her?”

“Hmm.” Liara nods again more sadly.

“Do you need me to do anything?”

“Well you could pour that tea before it stews.”

Shiala gives her grandmother a wry smile, then pours the tea, adding a splinge of milk to each cup before passing one to Liara. Liara takes a sip.

“Hm. Not bad.”

“Why thank you, your majesty.” Shiala quips.

Liara frowns at her.

“That's it. I'm contacting the Serrice biological department.”

“What for?”

“There seems to be more to asari reproduction than meets the eye because I'd swear by Athame that Shepard's essence got lodged in here somehow to produce such a facetious granddaughter.”

“I wouldn't bother, nan.” Shiala says, giving Liara a kiss on the cheek. “I reckon we just learned from the best.”


	33. Chapter 33

“But I was only in an administration role!” the tall mousy-blonde woman protests at the security desk.

“You're on our Cerberus watch list, ma'am. You'll have to come with us.” the C-Sec officer replies, now beckoning his detail.

Samantha passes this exchange on her way back to the Normandy from the Silver Sun Strip.

“Please! I left all that!” the woman protests again.

Samantha stops a moment to look. That voice. She cannot resist investigating and approaches the desk.

“Specialist Sam Traynor, Earth Systems Alliance. What's going on here, officer?” she asks the security officer.

“What? Oh. This 'lady' is on a Cerberus watch list. We were about to bring her in.”

“Where will you be taking her?”

“Might I ask your interest, 'Specialist Traynor'.” the officer asks quite patronisingly.

“My orders are to fight this war, 'officer'. Cerberus operatives are of interest to my operation and to my superior, the Spectre, Commander Shepard. Unless of course you'd rather the Commander herself came down here in person...”

“No, no, no! Please, that's not necessary. Jeez, we only just got fixed up after her krogan 'friend' tore up the place.”

“Give me one minute, please, officer.” Traynor says then brings up her omni-tool to make a call. A few moments later she returns to the desk.

“I think you'll find that your files have been updated and Miss...?” she prompts.

“Miss Del Ingles. Eleena Del Ingles.”

“Really?” Samantha frowns.

“What?”

“Never mind. Anyway, Miss Del Ingles is under Commander Shepard's custody now, in her capacity as Spectre. I am now under orders to escort her to the Normandy.”

“What?” both the officer and Eleena say.

“I believe you need me to authorise something?” Samantha says.

“Uhh... Oh!” the officer says, looking at his console, “Yea. If you can just...” he offers a datapad and Samantha registers her ID.

“Good! So! You're with me. Do I need to use cuffs?” she says to Eleena.

“At least wait until I've formulated my evil plan to kill you and make my escape.” Eleena replies.

Sam stands open mouthed a moment, until Eleena continues, “That was-”

“A joke. Got it.” Samantha smiles.

…

Shepard stands waiting at the Normandy's airlock with two marines for a security detail for the impending arrival. Samantha and her 'prisoner' are making their way along the gantry, and seemingly in no particular hurry. They walk more like sightseers, sauntering, talking, laughing, viewing. Shepard watches this unfold with interest. She had only had brief information on why this former Cerberus operative was saved from interrogation but she trusts Samantha's judgement. The pair finally arrive at the Normandy's air lock walkway.

“So what's going on, Traynor?” Shepard asks.

“Oh. Hi, Commander. This is Eleena.”

“Commander. I am not entirely certain why I am here, though from the walk with Sam here, I presume it is preferable to whatever those C-Sec officers had in store for me?” Eleena says, causing a noticeable double-take in Shepard.

“Errr...” Shepard replies then beckons Samantha to her with a wave, “Traynor. Sam. A word, please.”

“Commander?” Traynor asks as she joins Shepard out of Eleena's earshot.

“Is she...?” Shepard begins.

“I haven't asked specifically yet... but she's got to be, hasn't she?”

“At the risk of getting the answer I don't want, why is she here?”

“Ask me no questions, I tell you no lies, Commander.”

“Gah! Really?”

“Her full name's Eleena Del Ingles.” Samantha grins with unfettered glee.

Shepard holds her head in a hand.

“You are aware if she's indoctrinated-”

“Awww, Commander! Look at her! She can't be-”

“Traynor, she's not a lost pet! We're going to find out what she knows, if anything, then get her back where she belongs.”

“Admit it, it is fun though!”

“I'm not sure if they should even meet now...”

“But that was going to be the best bit!”

“So this really is all for your own amusement? Have you even considered Joker?”

“What? He's already got one.”

“Sam!”

“What?!”


	34. Chapter 34

The beat of the music doesn't move her at the moment. Sat at a booth in the Purgatory bar, Ashley watches soldiers and civilians brushing shoulders, wild and free as though it's the last ever dance of their last ever party - not because it's last orders or even closing time, or because they're ready to leave, or some other reasonable, sane or fathomable decision, but because it could be their last dance, their last party, the last of everything for everyone. It's enough to give anyone pause for thought and despite being of her military ilk, Ashley has more thoughts than many.

Ashley isn't sure if her facade is ever thinly veiled enough that her brothers and sisters in arms can see through it. She hopes her father never saw through it, not that it should really matter when she always did her duty. Always pledged her name to the Alliance when glasses were raised, picked up a weapon to kill when it needed to be defended, reviled the alien when her peers asked the question. She's rationalised it all to soothe her soul when asking the questions of herself – Ashley wonders though if some answers are so high above the questions that they belittle the now.

God will know all the stories that were told, all the questions that were asked, all the answers that were given, and all those answers that were truths held against all those answers that were conveniences. Will God answer with anger that her soul is tainted so? Or will the Ashley within, the one that loves her family, is filled with words of wisdom, that weeps at a sonnet, that frowns at an injustice, that defends her friends, will that be the one He judges?

“Who's like us?” an Alliance soldier opposite shouts to Ashley with a lingering, wide grin and a raised glass.

Ashley pauses a moment, her glum expression unchanged until she slowly smiles, her eyes beginning to glisten red then blue under the club's light show.

“Everyone.” she replies with the appropriate gusto.

Her cohort's eyes fix on her, his low frown telling of his confusion then he laughs a bellowing laugh, doubling to his kees in his seat with a slap to his thigh, beer slopping from his glass. Popping back up, he stands and raises his glass around to the whole club.

“And we're ALL fucking dead!”

The mix of whooping and and stunned faces dies down and his hand lands on his hip with satisfaction, nods to himself a few times then turns again to Ashley.

“Wanna fuck?”


	35. Chapter 35

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'Hunters' sketch.

Miranda and Charlotte make their way along a flowerbed lined pathway to the main entrance of a facility, buried in a lush valley of the planet. This place appears more like a clinic than a Cerberus research operation. A woman in a labcoat exits from the building and walks directly towards them. Charlotte puts her hand on her pistol.

“Hello!” the woman shouts in a friendly fashion. “Sorry! We didn't realise that you were coming, it's been so long.”

“Follow my lead.” Miranda says quietly to Charlotte then calls to the woman, “Yes, well. We're here now. Miranda Lawson.”

“Doctor Margaret Lancet. Come on, I'll show you around.” the woman says eagerly as she leads them into the full length windowed building and to a reception area. Again, it is arranged like a clinic's waiting area, chrome and glass, and comfortable couches for clients. “To be honest, we thought we'd been abandoned. We haven't heard from HQ in such a long time.”

“When was the last contact you had?”

“Oh. Gosh. Must be... nearly three years now.”

“So why have you just stayed put?”

“Orders?” the doctor says quizzically. “Surely-”

“Ori? Ori! Let me through there!” Miranda suddenly demands of the woman as a figure passes through a windowed corridor.

“Of course but... is there a problem? Who's Ori?”

Charlotte does not know what Miranda saw but her hand returns to her side arm.

“My sister, Oriana. She just went past that window. Why is my sister here? What are you doing to her, you bastards?!”

Miranda pulls her SMG out and points it at the woman who cowers.

“No! We don't have any Oriana here. Please. Don't hurt me. Who are you? What's going on?”

“Open that door, now!” Miranda orders.

“Yes, yes, just please... we're just a clinic here.”

“I'll be the judge of that.”

“Please! I don't know what's going on!”

Doctor Lancet keys a code into the door's panel and Miranda rushes through it calling back to Charlotte.

“Stay with her. Ori? Oriana? Where are you?” she shouts as she makes her way through the corridors.

Miranda shoves open a door to see Oriana sitting at a desk, who looks up from a console and frowns a moment.

“Wo! New threads?” Oriana says.

“Ori? What's going on? Are you okay?”

“What? Are you okay, Steph?”

“Steph? It's... Miranda, Ori.”

“You are being odd today.”

“But...” as Miranda looks at her she begins to realise that this person does indeed look a lot like Oriana but, not quite. She looks back through one of the lab windows and sees another nearly Oriana, working with other nearly Orianas. It dawns on Miranda what this place is, or was.

“How many of you are there here?” she asks of the fake sister.

“What do you mean? Come on, Steph, this is getting silly now.”

“How many clones?!”

“Clones?”

She looks deeper at Miranda and her friendly face changes to one of fear.

“Wait... you're not Stephanie. Who are you? What's going on? You're armed! I'm calling security.”

Before she can get to her console, Miranda fires her SMG and the console shatters apart. The woman screams and tries to hide under her desk, hysterical, wailing and sobbing. This is unlike any other Cerberus facility Miranda has been to. Everyone was well aware of the implications of what they were doing. No-one has ever been so afraid of a couple of people with weapons, not at a Cerberus facility.

“Sorry. But I couldn't allow that. Now. Come with me.” Miranda says to the woman.

Miranda takes her at gunpoint back to Doctor Lancet. She finds Charlotte still pointing her pistol at the Doctor who is seated in the reception area, still in tears.

“Oh Doctor Lancet!” the fake sister says, as she rushes to sit next to her. “What's going on?”

“I've no idea, Rachel. I thought it was the company but it's probably just mercs after loot.” she almost spits the words with disgust.

“Does Rachel know?” Miranda asks the doctor.

“Know what?” the doctor replies.

“That she's genetically engineered.”

“Of course I do. You saw my sisters in there, it'd be hard not to realise something was going on. But what about you? Who are you?”

“In a moment. Who funds this project?”

Miranda must know. Is she a product of her father's desire or cold Cerberus science? She's not sure if either is any better but to know would be preferable to not.

“Henry Lawson. Well. Him and some consortium, something about hell hounds or suchlike.”

“Cerberus?”

“Yes! Cerberus. That was them. We engineered two daughters for him. You're one of them, aren't you?”

“But... why so many?”

“He wanted to choose.”

“Gah! He wanted to choose? He came in and said, 'I think I'd rather have that baby over that one?' Jesus! I suppose then he just left you here with all these children to look after, without a care as to what happened to them. Fuck!”

He is supposed to be dead but still he taunts her from the grave.

“What are we doing?” Charlotte asks.

“I don't know.” Miranda replies, leaning back against the reception counter. “I just... I don't see any Cerberus insignia here, there's no army of troopers, no paranoia, I don't know. I mean look at this pair, they've never been near a dark op in their lives.”

“We're just scientists!” Rachel protests desperately.

“So you exploited those children and their brilliance to work for you.” Miranda says.

“What? Why are you doing this? No-one's doing anything against their will!” Rachel says. “This is my home!”

“Let's just go.” Charlotte says.

“But...” Miranda begins but can only make a frustrated expression.

“I know.” Charlotte says with a sympathetic smile, returning her weapon to her hip. “But these people, they're just as much a victim as you. And to be honest, they don't look like captives to me. Let's just go.”

“I...” Miranda pauses a moment then sighs and also returns her weapon to its holster, “You're right.”

“So...” the not Oriana, Rachel begins, more confident now the weapons are no longer pointed at her, “in reality, you're my sister then.”

“Hm. I suppose, yes.” Miranda replies sheepishly, “Not the best re-union in the galaxy, I'll grant you. Sorry about that.”

“That's okay. It was a bit freaky all around, if you ask me. I'm not surprised you went all fight or flight mode!”

“To be honest, that just sounds like a normal day out for me.” Miranda says.

“What do you do?”

Miranda laughs, “That? Hm. That, we can talk about when I visit. Seems there's a bunch of us I still need to meet, and Ori's going to love this. She's a bit weird, a bit like you really. But that's to be expected I suppose.”

“If you say so!” Rachel replies with a huff, a huff that Miranda has seen so often in her own Oriana.

“Let's get out of here.” Miranda directs to Charlotte that they should leave. “We're sorry for the misunderstanding, and like I said, I'll be back when I can.”

“'bye then. We'll see you soon.” Rachel waves them off, joined now by Doctor Lancet.

“We could have stayed.” Charlotte says as she and Miranda walk the path.

“And you can keep your nose out of family affairs.”

“You're not going back?”

“Yes, but when I'm ready. It's just that dad...” Miranda pauses in her step a moment with a grimace, unsure what to release.

“Yea?”

“Never mind.”

“Fine.”


	36. Chapter 36

The initial assessment team arrives at the damaged Citadel; scans find an area still compressed and structurally sound, curiously even with breathable air. Having left their shuttle to traverse the Citadel's hull, the three had to force a bulkhead door but a portable mass effect barrier protects them now from the void beyond.

“Where do we even start?” Doctor Johnson says as he removes his environmental helmet and ruffles his flattened hair.

“Where one always starts, Doctor. At the beginning.” his salarian colleague, Doctor Flum states smugly.

“I don't think it's quite that simple but we have to start somewhere, I suppose.” Doctor Liara T'Soni says, unsure of this salarian's vacuous statement.

Once she heard about this venture on her network Liara had be in on it, with Admiral Hackett pulling a few extra strings on her behalf to secure a place on the team. They are in what appears to be a small C-Sec station but the displays and readouts are still active, despite only displaying garbled errors.

“Well, there still seems to be power from... somewhere?” Liara says.

The door opposite to the one they forced opens with a whoosh of air and each tries to grab their environmental mask, fearing the worst. The passage beyond the open door before them is lit and looks habitable, with some overgrown foliage sprouting from cracks in the wall and floor panels, the corridor looking pristine deeper within. Pausing before fully returning his mask to his face, Flum breathes in.

“Hm. Quite fresh.” he says with a smirk then returns his mask to his hip.

“We should call this in.” Johnson says.

“Not sure what difference that'd make. I say we investigate.” Liara says, already standing eagerly at the doorway with a hand against the frame, “That's what we're here to do, right?” 

“I'm inclined to agree with Doctor T'Soni. The risks are environmental, we should be well prepared for any eventualities.” Flum says.

“Fine. Just don't blame me if we all get stuck somewhere with no way of anyone knowing. I mean, which ward even was this?”

“Zakera Ward.” Liara says without hesitation.

“How do you know that?”

“Oh, I know.” Liara says with a wry smile as she takes a few steps into the corridor.

“What was that?” Johnson says with alarm.

“What was what?” Flum asks.

“Movement. I'm pretty sure I saw something moving down the end there.”

Liara returns, goes to her kit bag and produces a pistol.

“Doctor T'Soni?” Flum says.

“I have learned it is prudent to always be prepared. Shall we?” she simply offers as explanation and attaches the pistol to her hip.

“After you.” Johnson offers to the now armed asari.

The trio make their way along the passage, omni-tools at the ready, scanning the area as they go.

“This whole area appears to be pressurised. Possibly the entire ward.” Flum observes.

“There!” Johnson shouts out with a finger pointing down the way.

Indeed, there is movement. A lone Keeper scuttles into view, much as they would find one previously, arriving to blissfully work on a conduit panel.

“Hello?!” Johnson calls.

The Keeper turns its head to see them, then stops its activities and scurries towards them. Johnson backs up a little, now regretting his cry out.

“It's only a Keeper, Johnson.” Liara laughs, until she notices the Keeper's curious gaze upon her, its path directly to her. The Keeper continues until a few feet from Liara where it stops and opens wide its arms.

“The good doctor.” it says in a voice somewhere between salarian and emulation in tone, though a slightly higher register.

“Oh.” Liara says. “Ummm... hello!”

“Please.” the Keeper says, then walks back the way it came until it notices it is walking alone and pauses to repeat its request, “Please.”

“It wants us to follow it?” Johnson asks.

“Please.” the Keeper answers.

“I'm game.” Liara says, already following.

“We should really call this in.” Johnson tries to assert but realises it is futile as Flum has already joined Liara. “Fine! But we are all aware that they might have actually been part of the problem all along, right? I mean, no-one actually figured that out, right? We're still just guessing they're benign?”

“Oh don't be a worrywart.” Liara says as Johnson catches up.

Reaching the corridor's bulkheaded end, Liara recognises that this will lead to the Presidium. Pressurising small contained areas is one thing; the Presidium is another.

“Is it safe for us?” she asks the Keeper who answers by opening the bulkhead door, creating a frozen moment of apprehension in the team but the Presidium seems safe without the need for environmental protection. The Keeper continues through the doorway and the team follow.

“Goddess...” is all that Liara can utter at what they see.

Keepers. Thousands of Keepers in rows, as like a congregation. The focus of their service, a large fleet recruitment advertisement featuring Commander Shepard, adorned with a few images of the Normandy team, including Liara herself.

“What... what is this?” Liara says quite fearfully.

The Keeper continues to a walkway's edge, and again opens its arms widely towards his fellow caretakers.

“The good doctor.” it says, which causes them all to turn their gaze away from the icons towards it, and in turn to Liara, amidst 'oohs' and 'aahs' from the faithful throng.

“I'm not sure I like this.” Liara says.

Another Keeper is now moving towards them from the crowd, slowing as it approaches until it is right in front of Liara.

“We give thanks to the Shepard for releasing us from bondage.” it says, “We honour her disciples, the Normandys.”

“The... Normandys...?”

“Okay, can I be freaked out now?” Johnson says.

“You're not the one being... with the... Well I don't know but it feels like Athame all over again!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'The claw...'


	37. Chapter 37

“Incoming!”

Liara rushes into the dining room holding a cooking pot, sets it heavily down on the well presented table, then commences blowing on her fingers.

“All good?” Shepard asks, unflattening herself from the wall.

“Well it's not like they're going to eat any of it but we should enjoy it.”

“I don't know, do they sample things? They might be interested in Thessia's version of a pot roast.”

“Oh stop it, Shepard.”

“Ha!” Shepard moves in to hold her. “You fret too much.”

“I want them to feel welcome.” Liara says, accepting the hug. “They're the first Geth to live among a regular colony.”

“I know, I do too. We didn't stop the Reapers just so the bigots can carry on regardless.”

“Oh! That reminds me.” Liara releases their embrace. “Ashley called, she wants to come around next weekend. Something about the firing range?”

“Liara!”

“What?”

“I mention bigotry and your first thought is Ashley?”

“Well? Ashley is what she is, and makes no apologies for it. Anyway, actions speak louder than words.”

“That said, probably best she's not here to make some coolant joke, or whatever she'd come up with.”

The door's intercom buzzes. Shepard checks her omni-tool's chronometer and raises a brow.

“Hm.  1900 hours, on the dot. I wonder if they've been waiting at the door until it ticked onto 1900 or they're so accurate they knew exactly how long it'd take to get here...?”

“Shepard? We were just saying?”

“Last one, out of my system. Let's go!”

“Hi!” Shepard says as she swings the front door open, followed by Liara, “Hope you found us alright!”

“My navigational systems are fully operational.” the first AI says.

“As are mine. I am Klean.” Klean says.

“I am Unjuna. We have brought a house warming gift.” the first says, holding up a sequined gift bag.

“Oh! Errr...”

“Is that not correct?” Unjuna asks.

“Well...” Shepard doesn't complete for politeness' sake.

Even Liara would have to admit it's almost impossible to read a Geth but what follows seems to the organics to be the shortest domestic ever witnessed - two short bursts of data exchange in their native code.

“We apologise, Commander Shepard. Upon further analysis, we misunderstood your tradition.” Klean says, lowering the gift with a swift movement, followed by a final exchange with its partner.

“Oh!” Shepard says, “You called me 'Commander Shepard'?”

“Is that also incorrect?” Klean asks. While unable to glean subtleties from the Geth, Shepard would say Klean and Unjuna are nervous, if a Geth can be nervous. Can Geth be nervous?

“Shepard?” Liara prompts her.

“What? Oh! No, that's completely correct. It's just I've always been called 'Shepard, Commander' by the Geth. That never bothered me either though! It was kind of... cute... in a way...” Shepard trails off, feeling her lover's eyes burning her face.

Liara 'harrumphs' conversation towards the dining room, wondering now if Ashley was actually the real hazard.


	38. Chapter 38

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An alternative 'Genesis'.

Tentative steps are where it began,  
Finally free of the solar system, were man.  
Prothean secrets, found under Mars' surface,  
It unified Earth, gave everyone purpose.

Within the secrets that were found,  
Discoveries, which were sound,  
Detailing the galaxy, and all its stars,  
So that they might themselves now travel that far.

Charon, a mass relay, was encased in ice around Pluto,  
A device which allowed space craft to go,  
Just about anywhere in space,  
Merely point your ship, and go any place!

But out there in space, the galaxy has already started,  
Turians, an alien species, quickly regarded,  
The wanton activation by man of a relay long dimmed,  
As an act of war, their territories now skimmed.

By The First Contact War it became known,  
The less dramatic Relay-314 Incident in turian tomes,  
A short but bloody first encounter,  
But the humans fought hard and did not flounder.

Resolution was sought by the Citadel Council,  
A body with which meaningful exchange was possible,  
And peace did follow, as did the inevitable backlash,  
As the brutality of the conflict at times, some could not let pass.

So into the abyss, Earth did throw itself,  
Each new species they found as fascinating as an elf.  
And in new territories they did begin to dwell,  
But some soon found out, they may have just found hell.

A young girl, Shepard, no more than sixteen,  
Lived a peaceful farming life on Mindoir, for her parents an idyllic dream,  
'til the day that they came, batarian slavers, another new race,  
Who slaughtered her parents, kidnapped her from this place.

The newly formed space fleet of the Earth Systems Alliance,  
Did their best to defeat this newly formed defiance,  
Shepard was saved, though not all were so lucky,  
It was mentioned, however, she always remained bright and plucky.

Under the Alliance's wing Shepard did find herself,  
It suggested that she take her biotic potential off the shelf,  
And to help with the colonies, like hers, to assist others,  
She jumped at the chance to help her colonial sisters and brothers.

The military life suited her well,  
She would go far, it was easy for all to tell.  
Biotic output, off the charts,  
Always consistent, never fits and starts.

Marksmanship, hacking, systems, comms,  
The list of her outstanding skills went on.  
Up the ranks she flew, until finally her own command,  
Of which would have been proud, were it not for Akuze's harsh sands.

On that planet's surface, her squad were pinned,  
While a massive Thresher Maw creature did smash and spin.  
Her entire squad killed, or so she thought,  
She honoured that to the last man they so bravely fought.

Difficult circumstances bring out the greatest in some,  
This was recognised in Shepard and it was not long,  
'til the Alliance knew she would not rest,  
Until N7 status, the best of the best.

So it came to pass that her status was given,  
And a position was offered, something about which she could be driven,  
A prototype stealth craft, second in command her position,  
Their maiden voyage, just another routine mission.


	39. Underbelly

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thing.

The Commander had decided on the crew's 'last hurrah' before reporting to the Alliance for whatever they had in store for the so-called traitors and terrorists; shore leave at Omega. Shepard goes on ahead to speak with Aria, aware that to not do so may be an Omegan faux pas.

“Rah! Rah! Rah! We're going to thrash the oiks!”

A mob of a few dozen asari chant on the forecourt in front of the Afterlife club as Shepard enters, some holding up Thessia signage and flags. Aria looks on from the club's doorway with a smirk.

“What's going on?” Shepard asks, joining Aria on the steps.

“Hey, Shepard. Don't you know? It's the annual Thessia versus Colonies skyball game.”

“Thessia versus Colonies?”

“Yea, it was originally set up to keep strong links between Thessia and her colonies. These days? It's a face thing.”

“Hm. How so?”

“Listen to them. Thessians...” Aria sneers at her own, “They think they're all high and mighty, superior and lar de dar, ordained by the Matriarchs, but this is our chance to take them down a peg or two.”

“Should be a good game then.” Shepard enthuses.

“Shepard? It's going to be a blood bath, just how we like it.”

“Ha! So you're not originally from Thessia then?”

Aria almost mouths a response but then stops with a frown, as much at her own lapse than Shepard's question, then coos her reply warmly, “Nice try, Shepard. Better luck next time.”

“Is it an asari thing? You seem to trust Liara more than you do me.”

“Liara and me have history, that's all. She knows the rule, and that it still applies. But for the record, I'm not one of these fucking Thessian isolationists. Talking of which...” Aria trails off as she seems distracted by something that caught her eye, causing Shepard to also look.

An asari in black robes flanked by two commando bodyguards approaches the throng of Thessians, as though on royal engagement and the group certainly treat her with reverence.

“Who's that?” Shepard asks.

“Matriarch Methia.” Aria says, a facetious grandness in her tone.

“We don't like her?”

“Let's just say that even I don't want to get her full attention.”

“Tough?”

“Not personally. You know much about the will of the Matriarchs?”

“As much as the next human.”

“Nothing then.”

“Me and Liara have-”

“You and the Thessian, did you say?” Aria interrupts smugly, “Liara's still enamored with the old Thessia, with Matriarchs and Justicars, fucking whimsy over pragmatism.”

Before Shepard is able to protest the hypocrisy of Aria's assertion, the Matriarch has accepted her last worship and moved towards the club, her protectors assessing as they go.

“Aria!” Methia greets with diplomatic cordiality, “Thessia thanks you for offering your station to host this year's game. I do find it so much more inclusive when held offworld, though how you won the bid over Illium is still hotly debated.”

“Matriarch.” Aria simply nods with respect, “I hope you've brought a good team.”

“Could Thessia produce any other kind?” the Matriarch returns the challenge.

“Time will tell, Matriarch.” Aria offers a leading arm then enters the club.

"Commander Shepard." Methia acknowledges as she enters with her commandos.

"Matriarch Methia." Shepard returns.

Never one to miss an opportunity, Shepard goes to speak with the Thessian asari on the forecourt.

“Hey! Looking forward to the game, eh?”

“We're looking forward to showing these grunts Thessia's superiority by kicking their ass.” one answers with a bored sneer.

“Ha! Friendly rivalry is-”

“Do you see me smiling?” the asari interrupts and indeed, her demeanour is dark.

“They should make Shepard play.” a voice from the back pipes in, “I want to see what the wannabe asari can do!”

“The... what?” Shepard tries to see who said it but from the looks in all their faces, the individual doesn't matter.

“You are not the first human to fight for Thessia, nor to bed an asari, and I most certainly doubt that you shall be the last,” the first asari elaborates, “but know this: it does not hold any kind of sway on Thessia. Your so-called humanity will not worm its way into the Matriarchs or defile the sanctity of the Goddess. Thessia is not a club to be joined.”

“I'm not trying to-”

“Your Alliance promotional images are almost identical to the old Serrice vids. It is quite pathetic really.”

“I... I didn't... I mean I wasn't aware that...” Shepard flounders. They're right, about Serrice at least. She didn't even realise she'd done that particular pose for the promotional material, it's just what she's always done. A pose, now Shepard thinks about it, she learned and emulated from those old vids she loved as a child, when she was bullied for her asari fascination, and it feels like that now with these people of her beloved asari shunning her with such vehemence.

“But Teviana!” another asari calls out to the first, “Who else can save us from the robot gods?”

The group all laugh at this remark, and Shepard makes her hasty exit while they busy themselves doing so, but also questioning how the galaxy can survive the Reapers when all around is disparity and distrust when unity is key.


	40. Underbelly 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More thing. No idea where this is going or why.

Liara lays on the bed in Shepard's quarters back on the SR-2, still just in her vest and knickers, making the most of a lie in and time away from directing Broker duties in person. She still receives the occasional message from the network but the young asari is becoming accustomed to her responsibility. Her duty focuses now on preparation for the coming war, whatever shape that takes. Resources and logistics for now, the occasional word in the right ear to soften Shepard's diplomatic way, anything to give the galaxy a chance. Liara knows with her influence now, she could have removed those who could prove awkward; nothing as insidious as murder but to ruin a life and career for convenience, no matter how great the cause, is not within Liara's self-imposed remit.

“Hey, Liara.” Shepard enters her quarters then sits heavily on a chair.

“Aria alright?”

“Yea... Did you know it's the Thessia versus Colonies skyball game on the station today?”

“Really? On Omega?” Liara frowns with concern, “Goddess...”

“What?”

“You know me, Shepard. I am not much of one for sport at the best of times but the Thessia game? Some of the girls from Serrice joined the team when I was studying there. Brutal. Absolutely and so unnecessarily brutal. One student was pipped for great things, already assigned to a noted Matriarch; her career was over before it started after she participated though I believe Matriarch Sur'Lan did everything she could to help the poor girl.”

“What are the Matriarchs like?”

“They are our greatest thinkers. They guide Thessia and the asari in all that they do, both practically and spiritually.”

“They control everything?”

“Well, yes.”

“Isn't that dangerous?”

“They are chosen because they have proven they are dedicated to Thessia and its people, and are trustworthy.”

“How the hell do you even gauge that? And people do change!” Shepard says quite shortly.

“What's that supposed to mean? What's wrong?”

“What was it like growing up on Thessia?”

“Are you alright, Shepard?”

“I don't know. I just saw a side of the asari I hadn't seen before. And if I'm honest, didn't think possible.”

“How so?”

“The Thessian supporters...”

“Oh. _Them._ ” Liara's face sours.

“What? It's like you already know what I'm about to say.”

“Name calling was it? Jingoism?”

“Something like that, yea. Is that kind of bigotry common on Thessia?”

“Isolationism is not the same, Shepard. They just want to protect... to ensure...” Liara fumbles to find the words.

“Purity?”

“No!”

“Well what then?”

“You are being terribly unfair.”

“Liara, I need to know that when the Reapers come knocking, Thessia has my back!”

“Are you going?”

“What?”

“To the game?”

“Hey! We hadn't finished-”

“Yes. We had.” Liara says firmly.

“Fine! I don't know. Maybe.”

“Samara will probably want to know. She used to-”

“I know. I read the file, Little Miss Shadow Broker.”

“Oh, have we moved on from Protheans?”

“Some of us have.”

“Hm.” Liara frowns a smile.

“You coming?”

“Would I like to see my fellow asari beating the life out of each other over some misplaced grudge? Not particularly.”

“How bad can a skyball game be?” Shepard says incredulously.

“You have had the misfortune of experiencing a varren fight, I believe?”

“Yea? On Tachunka.”

“Now imagine twenty varren in the pit, with mass effect fields and a ball.”

“Now that sounds like entertainment.”

“Really?” Liara tuts. “Anyway. Thessia.”

“What about it.”

“Now. Think on this. What do you think the first thing most males of a species are going to try and do the moment they find out there is a planet full of an all female species that may procreate with any other species, hm?”

“That's a little presumptuous, isn't it?”

“Oh. I am merely playing devil's advocate but these are some of the arguments used.”

“Well they're crappy arguments...”

“I mean, look at the reality: the asari genepool thrives with the other species, and the problems of Purebloods have yet to manifest entirely. Though admittedly in myself and others, there appears to be no problems, but we still do not fully understand the long term implications.”

“Problems?”

“Simple things like whether there may now be long term genetic problems across generations but there are some pursuing a link between Purebloods and Ardat-Yakshi based on a spurious paper. The data was limited, little control, more anecdote than evidence, and the empirical evidence, to wit: those currently at monasteries, does not support the claim. But there are those who do not think that reality and facts are of consequence, merely that their assumptions are supported.”

“Oh!”

“What?”

“Ardat-Yakshi, eh? I'd better watch myself then. You know, Morinth's eyes when she went full space witch weren't that different to-”

“Space witch? Okay, Shepard, I think that is enough cultural exchange for today.”

“Well as you're not actually up yet, I can think of one more cultural exchange we could conduct?”

“Come then, my squishy human.”

“My what?”

“Never mind. It's a krogan thing.”


End file.
